Google’s business model has just taken a major turn… According to
information from Bloomberg , a US federal judge is now imposing a
maximum duration of one year for all agreements making Google the default search engine, including those signed with Apple.
A ruling that changes everything…
The case dates back to 2020, when the US Department of Justice sued Google for anti-competitive practices . At the heart of the matter were the multi-year, costly agreements made with manufacturers like Apple and Samsung to ensure that Google was pre-installed on their devices. These contracts were estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars, including $20 billion annually paid to Apple, according to documents cited in the investigation .
Judge Amit Mehta , who had already ruled in 2024 that Google illegally held a monopoly on search, has decided that no default placement contract can exceed one year. This measure affects both traditional search and generative AI tools integrated into operating systems and browsers.
In practical terms, this annual limit opens the door to more competition , as Microsoft could, for example, try to place Bing as the default search engine on iPhones if the company is willing to invest more during renegotiations.
For Apple, accustomed to securing massive revenues through Google, the obligation to renegotiate every year profoundly changes the dynamics…
Immediate impacts on the technology ecosystem
Google thus avoids the most radical scenarios, such as the forced sale of Chrome . The judge favors behavioral ” remedies ,” such as shorter contracts , the end of exclusivity agreements , and the establishment of a technical committee tasked with overseeing data sharing with qualified rivals.
Google will have to provide a snapshot of its search index as well as interaction data, including queries and clicks. This will help players like OpenAI , Perplexity , and Mozilla improve the quality of their search engines and reduce the technological gap with the American giant.
Towards new partnerships in the future?
At the same time, device manufacturers could find themselves in a position of strength, as Apple and Samsung will be able to renegotiate annually, or even leverage competition. This prospect could increase uncertainty for Google, which is accustomed to multi-year partnerships that effectively locked down the market.
Finally, for Microsoft, the opportunity is very real , as a change of default engine on iPhones would represent a major strategic advance, even if Google’s ability to outbid them every year is a subject of debate…