Google says selling Chrome or Android would ‘break them’ in response to DOJ: Report
Google said "splitting off" its business parts like Chrome or Android would break them, change their business models, raise the costs, and make security harder
Selling the Chrome browser would harm consumers and businesses, a BBC report quoted Google as saying in the light of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) considering to rule such a proposal over the antitrust lawsuit.
A large Google logo is seen at Google's Bay View campus in Mountain View, California, on August 13, 2024 (Josh Edelson/AFP)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
This comes after Judge Amit Mehta in August ruled that Google operates an online search monopoly. Following this, remedies or penalties were considered to be imposed.
Among this was a proposal to make Google sell off its Chrome browser. Other proposals include making Google part away with Android and even the Play Store.
In response, Google said "splitting off" parts of its business like Chrome or Android would “break them,” and that it “would change their business models, raise the cost of devices, and undermine Android and Google Play in their robust competition with Apple’s iPhone and App Store,” according to the report.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
Google also added that it would make it harder to keep Chrome secure.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
Google also added that it would make it harder to keep Chrome secure.
"The DOJ continues to push a radical agenda that goes far beyond the legal issues in this case," the report quoted Google executive Lee-Anne Mulholland as having said in a statement.
"The government putting its thumb on the scale in these ways would harm consumers, developers and American technological leadership at precisely the moment it is most needed,” she added.
This is because Chrome is currently the most used browser in the world, with a 64.61% global market share in October, according to the report which cited data from web traffic tracker Similarweb.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
The DOJ is expected to provide its final proposed remedies to the court by Wednesday.
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.
