- The US Department of Justice is exploring several remedies to restore competition in light of a court ruling that found Google to be a monopoly in the Search business.
- Remedies could take the form of breaking up Android and Chrome away from Google or forcibly selling Google’s AdWords business.
- Other remedies under consideration include banning exclusive search contracts and forcing interoperability requirements for AdWords.
We just had an exciting Pixel 9 series launch from Google, and those devices certainly warrant our attention. However, on the business side, things are not looking that good for the company. Earlier this month, a US District Court ruled that Google violated US antitrust laws when it preloaded its search engine and web browser on Android devices, capitalizing on its monopolistic position. As part of the remediation, the US Department of Justice is exploring the possibility of breaking up Android and Chrome away from Google.
Google will appeal the District Court’s decision, but the judge has also ordered both sides to begin plans for the case’s second phase. The second phase will involve government proposals for restoring competition, including a possible breakup request, which the judge can then impose upon Google and its parent company, Alphabet.