Google CEO faces a barrage of questions at antitrust trial

This is a key point in the antitrust battle being waged by the US Department of Justice against Google over allegations that the company violated antitrust laws to maintain its dominant position in online search services.

Nearly three years ago, the US Department of Justice sued Google, accusing the company of using its dominance in Internet search to gain an advantage over competitors. Google was accused of spending billions of dollars each year to be the default search engine on iPhones, Apple’s Safari web browser, and Mozilla’s Firefox.

In his latest court appearance in Washington, CEO Pichai defended Google's practice of paying Apple and other tech companies to be the default search engine on their devices, saying the goal was to make the experience "seamless and easy." Pichai said the company's mission was to make information "universally accessible and useful" for everyone. He said the mission remains relevant and relevant despite new competitors in search and advances in artificial intelligence.

However, during two hours of questioning, US government lawyers cited emails, chats and letters from Google, forcing Mr. Pichai to admit that Google's default agreement with Apple was "vital" to the company's business.

Antitrust lawyers presented evidence that Google pressured Apple, telecom carriers and smartphone makers to make Google Search the default or sole search engine on products used by millions of consumers in exchange for revenue-sharing deals. Court documents also showed that in 2022 alone, Google paid $26 billion, mostly to Apple, to remain the default search engine on web browsers and smartphones.

Google has long maintained that such revenue-sharing arrangements are legal and that it has invested heavily to remain competitive in its search and advertising businesses. The company also maintains that if users are dissatisfied with their default search engines, they can and will find another search provider.

The antitrust case against Google is the largest since the US Justice Department took aim at the world's largest software company Microsoft more than two decades ago over the dominance of its Windows operating system, legal experts say. The focus of previous trials has been on whether Google acted illegally by spending billions of dollars to maintain its dominant position in online search and advertising. In its arguments, Google has asserted that the success of its search engine is due to quality improvements and large-scale investments over many years.

If the US government wins the lawsuit, Google may be forced to cancel some of the business practices that have long helped maintain the technology company's position.