And so it begins.
A federal judge ruled Google illegally monopolised search through $26 billion in payments to make its search engine the default on smartphones and web browsers, blocking competitors and allowing Google to raise ad prices.
This is the first major antitrust case against a tech giant in over two decades. Despite Google not holding a monopoly in general search advertising, it does dominate search text ads. The decision will affect Google’s dealings, and could lead to the separation of Alphabet’s search business.
This ruling also has implications for AI, as the landscape of AI-powered search services and default arrangements may shift, especially with competitors like OpenAI and Apple’s alternative strategies.
[2024-08-06 Tue 20:30]