Apple blocked from presenting at Google antitrust hearing where $20 billion search deal is at stake

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has blocked Apple’s efforts to intervene in the federal antitrust trial against Google that jeopardizes Apple’s lucrative search exclusivity deal, Ars Technica reports. In February, US District Court Judge Amit Mehta had already denied Apple’s request to take a limited role in the remedies phase of the Google Search monopoly hearing.

The latest ruling upholds Judge Mehta’s decision that Apple simply took too long to file its request, according to MediaDailyNews. Apple had filed a motion to intervene in the trial on December 23rd for a case that started in 2020. With Apple’s efforts to protect its search deal with Google hanging in the balance, the company will have to settle for briefs outside the hearing to share its concerns. The arrangement in which Apple continues to set Google as the default search engine on iPhones was reportedly worth $18 billion in 2021 and $20 billion in 2022. At the judge’s order on Apple’s motion in January, Google had not taken a position on whether Apple should participate.

One of Apple’s concerns mentioned in its motion to intervene in December was that it didn’t want to lose the ability to “reach other arrangements with Google.” However, earlier this month, the Justice Department made changes to the proposed final judgment that include letting Google pay Apple for services that aren’t related to search.

The Department of Justice won its antitrust case against Google last year, finding the company maintains a monopoly on search and advertising. Now, the court is about to determine remedies against Google, which includes the DOJ’s recommendation that the company divest from its Chrome browser and make changes to its Android business.