Could Android Be Forced to Split From Google After The Tech Giant Lost The Antitrust Lawsuit?

Industry experts believed that after winning a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Google, the U.S. Department of Justice is not only seeking to weaken Google's lucrative agreement with Apple but is also expected to ask the judge to take "structural remedies," such as forcing Google to divest its Android operating system.

A U.S. federal judge ruled on Monday that Google engaged in illegal monopolistic practices to maintain its dominance in search engines. This decision is undoubtedly a huge blow to Google and could fundamentally change its way of doing business.

According to the Department of Justice, under the agreement between Google and Apple, Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 alone, making Google the default search engine on Safari for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Lawyers who have been following the case said that in the next phase of the case (which involves punishing Google's illegal monopolistic practices), government lawyers may try to prevent Google from dominating the next version of search, namely generative AI-driven search, and make it easier for competitors' search services to erode Google's current market share of about 95%.

Gene Burrus, former Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft, said that Justice Department lawyers would almost certainly also ask the judge to take "structural remedies," such as forcing Google to divest its Android operating system, rather than just making "behavioral" changes to the way Google operates its search business and its cooperation with companies like Apple.

Regarding the Android system, the judge has already stated that it has helped Google improperly maintain its monopolistic position.

In response to the judge's ruling, Google has said it will appeal.

Antitrust lawsuits have always been seen as a protracted battle, and the outcome may not be known for months or even years. George Hay, who served as the Chief Economist of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and is now a professor of law at Cornell University, believes that Google's appeal process could last up to five years.