Apple gets no say in the attempt to save its biggest deal with Google

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has denied Apple‘s request to intervene in the federal antitrust trial against Google, potentially jeopardizing a lucrative search engine default agreement worth billions of dollars annually.
In a significant legal setback, the court upheld a previous ruling by US District Court Judge Amit Mehta that Apple waited too long to file its intervention motion. Filed in December 2024 for a case that began in 2020, Apple’s late request was deemed untimely by the judges.
The ruling threatens Apple’s financial arrangement with Google, which has been paying approximately $20 billion annually to remain the default search engine on Safari and other Apple platforms. This symbiotic relationship has been a critical revenue stream for Apple, representing a substantial portion of its digital services income.
The antitrust case, brought by the Department of Justice, found Google guilty of maintaining a search and advertising monopoly. The pending remedies could fundamentally alter the tech giant’s business model, including potential divestment from its Chrome browser and modifications to its Android ecosystem.
While Apple will still be permitted to submit written testimony and friend-of-the-court briefs, it cannot present evidence or cross-examine witnesses. The company expressed concerns about losing the ability to negotiate future arrangements with Google.