Android and Chrome remain Google's
Google seems to be able to breathe a sigh of relief in a major court case. Earlier news broke that Google might have to sell Android and Chrome, but that now seems to be off the table due to a ruling by a US judge. According to the judge, a forced divestment is too harsh a remedy. There is currently no evidence that lighter measures have not had sufficient effect.
Google was previously found guilty of maintaining an illegal monopoly in the search engine market. The court ruled that some of the company's growth came from legitimate factors. These include the brand awareness, innovation and investments Google has made. Thereby, a separation of Chrome and Android is risky and unnatural according to the judge. This is because the browser is highly integrated with other Google services, such as accounts, data storage and security. If split off, this would affect quality for users.
Despite Google being allowed to keep Android and Chrome, some restrictions are imposed, according to the court document. The court rules that Google may no longer enter into exclusive contracts. These include contracts with partners who are required to install multiple Google services at the same time. For instance, the Play Store may no longer be paired with Chrome or Google Search, nor may AI service Gemini be exclusively enforced.
Google will additionally be required to share certain data, such as search index and user interaction data, with competitors. This does not include advertising data. According to Google, this could impact user privacy, and is still considering an appeal.
Although the air seems to have cleared for now, the Ministry of Justice is considering further steps to enforce stricter measures.
