If you ever imagined that Chrome would end up in the hands of another company, it will not happen. Ni OpenAi nor perplexitywith their ambition to compete in searches, they will have the opportunity to stay with him. According to Reutersa federal judge has ruled out the most drastic measure in one of the most relevant antitrust cases of the digital era. Google will keep control of its star and Android browser, but it is not empty: the failure forces you to give up land in another way.
What decided today: Judge Amit P. Mehta ruled that Google will not have to sell Chrome or Android, but must accept significant limits in their distribution contracts. The sentence prohibits exclusive agreements for Chrome, Search, the Assistant of Google and Gemini, accepting part of the company’s proposals. The ruling, issued on Tuesday by the Columbia district court, is a turning point in the case that has put the power of the search engine under the magnifying glass.
Share data: Google will have to offer your rivals key information from your search engine. The magistrate established that only companies that meet specific criteria can access it, which limits the scope of the opening. The objective is to facilitate competition in a market where Google domain is nourished by exclusive use signals. The ruling rules out, however, the government’s request to deliver a greater volume of data.
The ‘default’ under magnifying glass: The court also restricted the agreements that guarantee Google the predetermined position in browsers and mobile devices. These exclusivities had been key to maintaining their dominant presence, ensuring that millions of users use their services. Although all payments to partners are not prohibited, the judge seeks to limit the scope of these practices. The company had proposed to eliminate some contracts to reduce the pressure of the case.
The Department of Justice had requested much more aggressive measures: Chrome’s forced sale, the end of all distribution contracts and much broader access to search engine data. The judge rejected that roadmap and leaned for an intermediate approach. “The courts must address the design of remedies with a good dose of humility,” he wrote in his ruling. The sentence avoids a radical restructuring of Google, but does not leave it without obligations.
Data advantage effect: The sentence points to the heart of Google’s competitive advantage: its search signal monopoly. By forcing data with selected rivals, the judge alters one of the levers that have consolidated their position for decades. Although the company maintains control of its key products, the risk is that others can replicate or improve its results. It is a subtle but potentially deep blow for your business model.
The case began in 2020, when the Department of Justice and a group of states sued Google for abusing their position in online searches. Three years later, a ten -week trial put his business model and contracts under the microscope. Among the tests they stood out the 26.3 billion dollars that the company paid in 2021 to ensure be the default engine in browsers and mobiles. The judge ruled last year that Google had acted as monopoly.
The ia: While the case advanced, the technological panorama also changed. Search engines are no longer the only starting point: attendees based on AI have begun to assume tasks such as planning trips, summarizing documents and responding complex consultations. Google has reacted with own products such as Ai mode and Geminiintegrating generative directly into the results page. The ruling not only marks legal limits, it also arrives in full transition from the model that cemented its domain.
Google plans to appeal, and the process aims to extend for a long time. The judge’s decision is not the end, but the beginning of a new legal stage that will test how digital monopolies are regulated. Meanwhile, the company must adapt to ordered restrictions. The case is emerging as a reference for other judgments that face technological giants.
Images | Xataka with Gemini 2.5
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