Google's anti-trust lawsuit has a dramatic ending

Google HQ.

A trial described by many as the "trial of the century" for Big Tech, with billions of dollars countless lawyers at play, news reached many with potential for Google's Chrome browser being sold off, with big bidders like Sam Altman's OpenAI and even Aravind Srinivas' PerplexityAI bidding multiple billions of dollars to acquire the browser, it was believed that the Google mega empire could be at the brink of a collapse.

However, the Department of Justice found the evidentiary record insufficient. Central to the lawsuit was the government's failure in proving consumer harm under prevailing antitrust standards. Regulators argued that Google leveraged Android’s licensing terms and Chrome’s pre-installation agreements to lock in search distribution and tilt the field against rivals. The court, however, was unpersuaded. It held that Android’s open-source character and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) discretion mitigated claims of coercion or exclusionary conduct. With respect to Chrome, the court noted that browser choice screens, user ability to switch defaults, and robust competition in adjacent ecosystems weakened the government’s case. The court concluded that these arrangements, while advantageous to Google, did not rise to the level of actionable monopolization.

Some relief does include the fact that Judge Mehta concluded that Google is required to share search data with competitors, and cannot enter into exclusive contracts to kill off competition. Following the recent ruling, Google's stock rose by 8%, indicating investor relief over the decision not to divest key assets.