Apple has filed a motion to delay the entire proceedings of an antitrust trial against Google, which is scheduled to determine the search giant’s future. The trial aims to address allegations that Google and its parent company Alphabet have formed a monopoly on search and advertising.
In August 2024, a court ruled that Google’s dominance in the market warrants intervention. Apple had asked to be part of this remedy trial due to its significant contract with Google worth $20 billion annually. However, Judge Amit Mehta denied Apple’s request, stating it was too late to file.
Apple disputes this claim, arguing that it couldn’t have predicted its contractual rights would be affected until the Department of Justice proposed restricting contracts between Google and Apple. The company claims being excluded from deliberations on its contract with Google will cause significant harm, affecting millions of users and Apple’s entitlement to compensation for distributing Google search.
The judge initially denied Apple’s request to participate in the trial, citing concerns that allowing it later would create precedent. However, Apple plans to file a similar motion with the DC Circuit Court and is seeking an expedited consideration of its motion.
If Apple’s request is rejected, its appeal will proceed at the DC Circuit Court, with no set timeline. The case is currently scheduled to be concluded by August 2025.
Note: I have corrected the judge’s name from “Metha” to “Mehta”, and revised some parts of the article to improve accuracy and clarity while maintaining the original content.
Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/01/31/apple-hits-back-at-judge-with-demand-for-google-search-dominance-trial-delay