Live data from Hacker News

Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

cnbc.com

531–540 of 663 posts

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#531

This is an astonishing victory for Google, they must be very happy about it. They get basically everything they want (keeping it all in the tent), plus a negotiating position on search deals where they can refuse something because they can't do it now. Quite why the judge is so concerned about the rise of AI factoring in here is beyond me. It's fundamentally an anticompetitive decision.

The judge ruled against Google for ideological reasons and then realized what the consequences of his decision were after the fact. Google's monopoly is in the ads space where they control the buy side, sell side, and exchange. The idea that chrome or android were ever a monopoly and should be sold off was ridiculous.

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#532

Court's statements: 2024: "Google abused its monopoly position for search dominance" 2025: "Punishing Google now would be unreasonable because its dominance is under threat by AI" Wrist slapped. Somebody got their bag. Over to you, EU.

Not sure what EU has to do with anything here, but it has long ago lost the ability to create viable tech companies. We have AI regulations with no AI companies, we have cloud regulations without any major cloud providers, we have internet privacy regulations without browser or social media companies. If you need an industry regulated to non-existence, we got you covered — otherwise I think we can't really help you out.

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#533
post #403

> Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts Hurray. I _love_ capitalism. Everything is for sale. Kids CEOs, rememember: Every looby cent is a good spent cent. Pay it forward.

Can you cite any evidence whatsoever that the Judge who made this ruling was bribed?

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#534

Apple stock is up 3%, strongly implying that this ruling is good for Apple as well. That is in contradiction to a lot of folks saying that this ruling means Google won't have to pay Apple. While the terms of the deal with Apple will likely change, based on the stock price increase, Apple will likely end up with a different deal (if not better). Another thing to note, contrary to some comments, is that Google is still…

> Apple stock is up 3%, strongly implying that this ruling is good for Apple as well. It's been decades since stock market represented reality. If that was the case TSLA wouldn't shoot up on every report showing massive revenue loss. The stock market is one big meme wheel.

The highest priced companies have the highest net incomes and highest profit margins, and biggest moats. Over many years.

That is what I would expect in "reality".

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#535

This is an astonishing victory for Google, they must be very happy about it. They get basically everything they want (keeping it all in the tent), plus a negotiating position on search deals where they can refuse something because they can't do it now. Quite why the judge is so concerned about the rise of AI factoring in here is beyond me. It's fundamentally an anticompetitive decision.

It's largely a win for Google, but it does put them in a slightly weaker position with regard to negotiations for their Apple deal. By striking down Google's ability to form exclusive partnerships, their non-exclusive partnership deals (such as the one with Apple) are now more important.

One would assume the appeal is over the data-sharing requirements, which does feel a little bit like sharing the secret sauce with competitors.

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#537

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Safari has been better for going on 5 years now, funny thing is it was worse for long enough that it seems everyone, even to this day, refuses to believe it. Faster in basically every dimension. Supporting way more than FF in terms of specs. Way more efficient on battery. Better feeling scroll, better UI.

Agreed. Only thing lacking is the multi Google account/profile support

Profile came to Safari in iOS 17. https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/iphone/iphd27a9ff22/17...

Similarly with Safari 17 on macOS.

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#539

This is an astonishing victory for Google, they must be very happy about it. They get basically everything they want (keeping it all in the tent), plus a negotiating position on search deals where they can refuse something because they can't do it now. Quite why the judge is so concerned about the rise of AI factoring in here is beyond me. It's fundamentally an anticompetitive decision.

Yeah, it really reads like the court was afraid of "breaking" Google in the middle of the AI hype cycle

Re: Google can keep its Chrome browser but will be barred from exclusive contracts

#540

> Plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divestiture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints. This is the problem. It doesn't matter if they used those specific assets to perpetrate these specific acts. The overall market power derived from those assets (and many others) taints everything they do. There is no way to effectively curtail monopoly power by selectively limiting th…

Breaking up monopolies is politically radioactive
Post reply on HN