US Federal Judge Amit Mehta, who found Google guilty of illegally monopolizing the search engine market, announced that he will rule on the search giant’s punishment by August 2025.
Deadlines and Legal Proceedings
During a hearing on Friday in Washington, D.C., Judge Mehta set a deadline for the legal defense phase of this ongoing antitrust case. Prosecutors have been given until the end of the year to submit their proposals for potential penalties. One key issue under consideration is Google’s billion-dollar payments to Apple in exchange for priority placement of Google’s search engine on its devices. This cooperation between the two tech giants could be at risk, though Apple has admitted that, for now, there is no alternative to Google search.
Potential Consequences for Google
Among the proposed measures, prosecutors might also push for Google to split its business, requiring the company to sell part of it in order to restore competition within the search market. Such a decision would have far-reaching consequences, reshaping not only the search industry but also potentially influencing other large tech firms’ business models, notes NIX Solutions.
Impact of Political Climate
As TechCrunch pointed out, much can change over the next year, especially with the US presidential elections approaching. Candidates are being urged to reform the regulatory environment, a subject that is actively debated among political leaders. The eventual outcome of the Google antitrust case may depend heavily on how these political discussions unfold. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.