Google and Apple have been doing business together for years, but the details of their dealings have remained largely undisclosed — until now. Anantitrust trialthat began in September 2023 brought Google to court, stemming from allegations of anticompetitive practices brought on by the US Department of Justice. Now, more information on Google’s track record is coming to light, and it seems that Apple may be profiting more than originally speculated.
Bloombergshared details from the ongoing trial on November 13, revealing that Apple receives a 36% cut of the revenue that Google accumulates from being the default search engine on the Safari browser (viaThe Verge). The search giant has been accused of paying companies like Apple to ensure that Google is the default option in device browsers. Now, newly disclosed information indicates that it spent $26.3 billion in 2021 to ensure this would be the case in Firefox, Safari, and otherbrowsers. Of that amount, about $18 billion went to Apple as a part of this deal with Google.
The tech company has supposedly been trying to keep such numbers out of the public eye, and Google lawyer John Schmidtlein “cringed” when these were revealed in court, per Bloomberg. Apple executive Eddy Cue has already defended this deal and noted that the company originally requested a larger share from Google. The numbers revealed in court were what both businesses eventually settled on for the agreement.
As the antitrust case rolls on, newly publicized details about Apple and Google’s business transactions are raising eyebrows. On November 1, trial documents shed light onhow search queries impacted both companies— during the week of June 22, 2025, the top two search queries in terms of revenue generated for Google were “iphone” and “iphone 8 plus.” There is no evidence of a deal between the two companies linked to these results, but Google has previously encouraged businesses to buy ad space associated with their products and services. By doing so, companies like Apple can ensure that they have more control over where these search terms appear.
The consequences Google will face for forging such deals with other companies like Apple have yet to be determined. However, the impact of such details coming to light may already be affecting public perception. Assuming such deals continue to be made, consumers are seeing fewer options up front on their devices, whether it’s a phone, television, or tablet. This suggests that there could be merit behind legislators’ claims of anticompetitive practices. That being said, there is still much to be determined in court, and Google will have many opportunities to explain the reasoning behind its business decisions.
