Google could suffer serious consequences following an antitrust investigation in the United States!
In 2020, the United States began a formal assessment of the power that big tech companies wield. And since then, companies like Google and Apple have taken to court to minimize the damage caused by the actions suggested in the investigations. This week, in an unexpected chapter of this long story, The US Department of Justice has asked Google to sell Chrome in order to combat Google’s anti-competitive practices.accused of managing a research monopoly.
Google in the crosshairs: justice demands the sale of Chrome
Chrome’s deep integration with other Google services, such as Google Play’s search engine and App Store, has been pointed to as the main source of concern. By controlling both the default browser and search engine on millions of devices, Google has created an almost insurmountable barrier to entry for its competitors. This dominant position This allowed him to manipulate research results in his favor and restrict innovation in the sector.
In addition to the sale of Chrome, the The Ministry of Justice proposes a series of measures to restore competition in the market:
- Separation of Android and Google Play: Initially proposing the complete sale of Android, the authorities are now proposing a more gradual separation, separating the operating system from the application store.
- Data License: Google will have to share its data with its competitors and its developers, thus allowing the emergence of new alternatives and improving the quality of existing services.
- End of exclusive agreements: The move could mark the end of the controversial deal with Apple that makes Google Safari the default search engine.
The future of Chrome will be decided in 2025
The judge in the case plans to hold a two-week hearing in April 2025. Google, for its part, appealed
The company says its vertical integration has enabled it to offer a better user experience and fostered innovation in the sector. The final decision is scheduled for August 2025.
While other giants like Apple have had to go to US courts to defend their policies, as happened with the lawsuit imposed by Epic Games, which ultimately did not prosperthese types of assessments set precedents in other markets. So, as also happened with the Digital Market Law in Europe, which forced large technology companies to change their ecosystem, unless Apple said so.
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