Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledges importance of being default search engine in US trial
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday acknowledged the importance of making its search engine the default in keeping users loyal — a key point in a once-in-a generation U.S. antitrust fight focused on billions of dollars Google paid to be the default on laptops and smartphones.
Google, which started paying for default status on devices in 2005, monitored for compliance. At one point, the company expressed concern to Apple that its Safari browser would send particular queries, especially lucrative ones, to companies like Amazon.com.
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Offering CollegeCourseWebsiteIIM LucknowIIML Executive Programme in FinTech, Banking & Applied Risk ManagementVisitMITMIT Technology Leadership and InnovationVisitIIM KozhikodeIIMK Advanced Data Science For ManagersVisit «We were obviously doing the deal for default placement,» said Pichai.
Under cross-examination, Pichai said of Google's tens of billions in annual payments for default status: «We definitely see value.»
The U.S. government brought the case over whether Google acted illegally to maintain its dominance of online search and parts of search advertising. If the government wins, the company may be forced to scrap some business practices that have helped it stay on top.
In testimony Monday morning, Pichai, who was called by Google, was shown instances when the company pressed Apple, wireless companies and smartphone makers to make its search engine the default on their devices in exchange for revenue-sharing agreements.
«We pay for preload exclusivity on a device-by-device basis,» Pichai said under questioning by the Justice Department.
A lawyer for the Justice Department asked Pichai about a 2007 discussion among Google
