Apple has filed a motion to participate in the antitrust trial against Google, stating that it cannot fully rely on the company to defend agreements designating Google as the default search engine in Safari, Reuters reports.
Apple does not plan to create its own search engine to compete with Alphabet, regardless of whether the agreement remains in place or not. Notably, Apple earned approximately $20 billion from its deal with Google in 2022 alone.
Apple intends to call witnesses to testify at the court hearing scheduled for April. Prosecutors aim to prove that to restore competition in online search, Google should be required to sell its Chrome browser and possibly its Android operating system.
""Google can no longer adequately represent Apple's interests: Google must now defend itself against the potential breakup of its business divisions," Apple stated.
Recently, Google proposed to the court to review its agreements with browser developers, mobile device manufacturers, and wireless carriers. The company is willing to continue paying Apple and Mozilla for using its search engine as the default, but it will no longer require exclusivity.