Google trial to see two of Apple’s highest-ranking execs, here’s why – Times of India

The US government has accused Google of illegally monopolising internet search in the landmark antitrust trial that started this week in a Washington district court. Google allegedly spent billions on deals with companies like Apple and Samsung to become the default search browser on their devices, shutting out competition and achieving a monopoly on internet search.
The trial, which is to go on for the next ten weeks, will see two of the ranking Apple executives, Eddy Cue and John Giannandrea. Cue leads the services division at Apple, while Giannandrea is leading the artificial intelligence efforts. The Google antitrust trial is examining closed-door dealings between Apple and Google.
Apple’s billion-dollar deal with Google drags it to the court
For 18 years, Google has paid Apple an estimated $19 billion annually to make its search engine the default option on iPhones and other Apple devices. The companies have kept the details of these transactions private, but the public parts of the case reveal a shift from a rivalry over smartphones to a partnership that analysts call a duopoly.
Apple and Google had an agreement in 2003, where Google’s search engine was offered on Mac’s Safari browser without payment. Later, they added revenue-sharing, with Apple earning 50 per cent of money made from Google’s advertising on searches via Safari. The deal lasted for 10 years, and in 2010, the commission lowered to 40%.
When the deal was about to end, Apple and Google renegotiated terms, and Cue played a vital role. They arrived at an agreement that ensured Google remained the default search engine on Safari web browsers on Apple devices.
Giannandrea, the current senior vice president of machine learning and AI strategy at Apple, was previously the senior vice president of engineering for search at Google. He joined Google in 2010 when the company acquired Metaweb, where he served as the chief technology officer.
The majority of smartphones sold in the US, including iPhones and Androids, have Google search pre-installed as the default search engine. This has raised concerns about Google’s dominance in the market and whether it is shutting out competition from accessing Apple’s vast user base.
In the opening argument of the Justice Department attorney Kenneth Dintzer, he emphasised that Google’s contracts to make its search engine the default option on smartphones are contradictory and unfair.
As part of the trial, the Justice Department has demanded that Cue provide testimony regarding the negotiations that took place leading to the Google agreement. Additionally, he is expected to discuss his conversations with other alternative search providers. Giannandrea’s testimony, on the other hand, is expected to cover the development of Google’s search capabilities as well as Apple’s competing efforts.