Google was recently found guilty of violating antitrust laws by paying smartphone makers to pre-install its search engine. Today, it was revealed that Google similarly began funding the pre-installation of Gemini AI on Samsung Galaxy devices, a fact acknowledged by Google’s vice president of platforms and partner devices, Peter Fitzgerald, in a separate court case.
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In a three-week hearing, the U.S. Department of Justice demanded that the $1.81 trillion company be broken up in an antitrust case against Google, a move that could dramatically change the face of the tech giant and significantly alter the balance of power in Silicon Valley.
In court, Fitzgerald said monthly payments for pre-installing Gemini on Samsung Galaxy devices began in January, and the contract is for at least two years. The total amount was not disclosed, but a Justice Department spokesman said Google was paying Samsung “a huge amount of money.” Fitzgerald also said the contract called for Samsung to receive a percentage of revenue from ads displayed in Gemini.
The testimony could add to Google’s already serious legal troubles. The U.S. Department of Justice recently won a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of operating as an ad tech monopoly. The court ruled that Google “willfully engaged in a pattern of anticompetitive conduct” and that the tech giant’s anticompetitive practices caused “substantial harm” to customers and users.
The court will now add Fitzgerald’s testimony to the ongoing lawsuit to make a final decision on the changes Google will have to make to its business if it loses the lawsuit.