Google could be forced to sell Chrome browser by DOJ antitrust lawsuit

Earlier this year, Google lost a massive antitrust lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Now the tech giant could be forced to sell off Google Chrome, the most popular web browser in the world.

According to sources speaking to Bloomberg, the DOJ reportedly intends to recommend that Google be ordered to sell off its Chrome browser as a remedy in its significant antitrust lawsuit. In said suit, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found that Google had engaged in anticompetitive practices through its exclusive distribution agreements with other tech companies.

Such agreements ensured its Google search engine was the default option on the vast majority of desktop and mobile devices in the country. Web analytics service StatCounter states that Google currently enjoys 89 percent of the global search engine market share. This number jumps even further to 93 percent when solely looking at mobile devices.

In previous years, Google has paid Apple up to $200 billion per annum to guarantee that it is the default search engine in the latter's Safari web browser. Safari is the pre-installed default browser on every Apple iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Such deals are unlikely to be permitted in the future.

"Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly," Mehta wrote in his August opinion.

Google has said it plans to appeal the ruling.

If Mehta does order Google to divest from Chrome, it would be a massive blow to the tech giant. Chrome commands almost 67 percent of the global web browser market share, as per StatCounter. The second most popular browser is Safari with just 18 percent. 

The loss of its Chrome browser isn't the only painful consequence Google could potentially see from this antitrust crackdown. Bloomberg reports that the DOJ will also request measures regarding Google's Android operating system and artificial intelligence, as well as concerning data licensing requirements.

Specifically, the DOJ will reportedly recommend that Google be ordered to unbundle its Android mobile operating system from its other products, offering it to clients separately from other services such as Google Search and the Google Play store. (Fortunately for the tech giant, the DOJ no longer appears to be pushing for it to sell off Android altogether.) The DOJ will further propose that Google be ordered to provide websites more options for opting out of having their content used by its AI, licence the data from its search engine, and give advertisers more control regarding where their ads appear.

The courts could deem a Chrome selloff unnecessary if such measures are enough to create a more competitive market. If they aren't, then Google may lose Chrome in one of the U.S.' largest antitrust crackdowns in history.

Bloomberg's report follows the DOJ's proposed remedy framework filed in October. Barring Google's appeal, a final ruling in this antitrust case is expected in August next year.