The biggest antitrust case in the last 25 years is set to conclude this week as lawyers for the Department of Justice and Google present their closing arguments on Thursday and Friday.
The trial, which began in September of last year in Washington, D.C., centers around regulators’ allegations that Google has transformed its search engine into an illegal monopoly, stifling competition and innovation in the process.
At the heart of the case are accusations that Google engaged in unfair competition by making lucrative deals with Apple and other companies to automatically make its search engine the default option on smartphones and web browsers.
The Justice Department’s lead litigator, Kenneth Dintzer, argued last September that Google pays more than $10 billion annually for these privileged positions, ensuring that rivals cannot match the search quality and ad monetization, particularly on mobile devices.
Google, on the other hand, maintains that consumers choose its dominant search engine because it is simply the best available option. Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s senior vice president for knowledge and information products, testified last October that the company’s success is precarious and that its leadership fears their product could become irrelevant to younger internet users as technology evolves.
He noted that the company has been labeled “Grandpa Google” among younger demographics who don’t see it as an interesting product.
After the closing arguments conclude this week, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to issue his ruling in the late summer or early autumn.
If he determines that Google did indeed violate antitrust laws, another trial will be held to determine how to curb its market power.
The case against Google bears many similarities to the one brought against Microsoft in the past, including the existential threat it poses to a renowned tech giant whose products are used by billions of people worldwide.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.