In a new major step in the antitrust battle against Google, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to request a historic measure: the forced sale of the Chrome browser. This decision could shake up the digital ecosystem as we know it, particularly in the Apple world where Chrome is also very popular. Clearly, American justice could pronounce a form of dismantling of Google.
A historic decision against Google’s monopoly
Following the August 2024 decision establishing that Google exercises an illegal monopoly on the search market, the DOJ is preparing several drastic measures:
- The forced sale of Chrome, which holds 61% of the browser market
- Restrictions on the use of data for AI
- The separation of Android from Google Search and the Play Store
- More transparency for advertisers
Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s vice president of regulatory affairs, reacted sharply, saying the DOJ “continues to push a radical agenda that goes well beyond the legal issues in this case.” Clearly, Google considers that this trial is political before being legal and fair.
Major implications for the tech industry
This initiative could have significant impacts on:
- Google’s advertising ecosystem, with Chrome a key part of its data collection strategy
- The development of AI, particularly with the Gemini service
- Competition in the web browser sector where Chrome is in a monopolistic situation
This case represents the largest antitrust action against a technology company since the Microsoft case in the 2000s. For Apple and its users, this could mean a strengthening of Safari, which could benefit from a rebalancing of the browser market. The implications for the Apple ecosystem could be particularly interesting, particularly in the context of the growing development of services and the growing importance of AI. Google may no longer have the means to pay Apple to impose its default search engine on Safari, leaving an avenue for competitors – and why not an Apple search engine?
The next few months will be decisive for the future of the web and the way we access information online. This decision could mark the start of a new era in the history of the Internet, with lasting repercussions for the entire technology industry.
