Google paid Apple $20 billion to remain default search engine in Safari in 2022

Newly unsealed court documents in the Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit against Google reveal that Alphabet paid Apple $20 billion in 2022 for Google to maintain its position as the default search engine in the Safari browser.

This significant payment between the two tech giants underscores the central role of their deal in the antitrust case, where regulators argue that Google has unlawfully monopolized the online search and advertising market. The Justice Department and Google are set to present closing arguments in the case, with a decision expected later this year.

Despite attempts to keep the payment amount confidential, court documents now confirm the $20 billion figure, disclosed by Apple's senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue. Previously, Apple executives had testified that Google paid "billions," without specifying an exact amount. The documents also reveal that Google pays 36% of the revenue it earns from search ads to Apple.

These payments hold significant importance for Apple's financial performance, with Google's contributions to Apple's operating income amounting to 17.5% in 2020.