In 2021, Google paid a massive $26.3 billion to remain the default search engine on mobile devices and web browsers, as revealed during a federal antitrust trial. This payment reveals the financial deals Google has with its partners, and a significant portion likely goes to Apple for being the default search engine on their products.
The U.S. Department of Justice and a group of state attorneys general have accused Google of misusing its dominant position in search to exclude competitors from important distribution channels, like Apple’s Safari web browser.
While the $26.3 billion covers various partnerships, it’s expected that Apple is the main recipient of these payments. Previous estimates had suggested that Google’s annual payment to Apple for being the default search could be as high as $19 billion.
Google argues that users can still choose their default search engine, but the financial agreements supporting this practice are under scrutiny in the ongoing antitrust trial.
