Google avoids forced sale of Chrome and Android, but is forced to disclose data to competitors
3 September 2025 16:21
The US Federal Court has ruled in a high-profile antitrust case against Google, refusing to forcefully separate the Chrome browser and Android operating system from the company’s core business. At the same time, the court ordered the corporation to significantly change its policy of working with partners and competitors.
This was reported byCNN with reference to the ruling of District Judge Amit Mehta of the District of Columbia on September 2, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“Google will not be forced to get rid of Chrome, and the conditional divestiture of Android will not be included in the final decision,” Mehta said.
What restrictions were imposed
The court ruled that Google must:
- share with competitors search data necessary for market development and competition;
- terminate exclusive distribution agreements for Chrome, Google Search, Google Assistant and Gemini application, which the court found to be anticompetitive
- to prohibit requiring pre-installation of its own services for Google Play licensing.
At the same time, the company may continue to pay partners, including Apple, to install Google Search as the default search engine in Safari.
Market dominance
During the trial, the court emphasized Google’s extraordinary influence in the search industry. According to 2020 data, 95% of all mobile search queries in the United States were made through Google. This confirms the large-scale dependence of the market on one player.
Impact of AI and future risks
Judge Mehta separately noted that the restrictions are also aimed at preventing Google’s monopoly in the field of generative artificial intelligence. After all, the development of AI-based products such as Gemini may become the next field of fierce competition.
Reaction of the parties
- The US Department of Justice said that the decision “promotes openness in the search market” and protects it from abuse.
- Google expressed concern that the requirement to share data could pose risks to user privacy and said it was “considering further steps.”
- Experts consider the verdict favorable for Google and Apple. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives emphasized that this opens the way for deepening the partnership between the two companies, in particular, in the direction of possible integration of Gemini into the Siri voice assistant.
Thus, Google has avoided the most severe punishment in the form of forced sale of key products, but will be forced to work in much tougher antitrust conditions.
