Alphabet(US:GOOGL) 智通财经网·2025-04-21 23:41Core Viewpoint - Google is facing significant legal challenges regarding its antitrust practices, particularly related to payments made to Samsung for pre-installing its AI application, Gemini, on devices, despite previous rulings deeming such payments illegal [1][3]. Group 1: Payments and Contracts - Google has been paying Samsung substantial monthly fees since January 2023 to ensure the pre-installation of its Gemini AI application on Samsung devices, with the contract lasting at least two years [1]. - In a related case, it was revealed that Google paid Samsung $8 billion from 2020 to 2023 to maintain its search engine, Play Store, and Google Assistant as default options on Samsung mobile devices [2]. Group 2: Legal Proceedings and Implications - The ongoing antitrust trial is part of a broader scrutiny of Google's market practices, with the U.S. government proposing remedies that could include the sale of Google's Chrome browser business and the cessation of exclusive payment agreements with device manufacturers [3][4]. - The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for U.S. government regulation of the tech industry and may lead to the first major breakup of a tech giant since the breakup of AT&T in 1982 [4][5]. Group 3: Historical Context and Future Outlook - This case represents a critical moment in the U.S. government's efforts to control illegal monopolistic behavior by large tech companies, drawing parallels to the previous attempts to break up Microsoft [6]. - Regardless of the court's decision, it is expected that Google will continue to appeal, potentially prolonging the resolution of these antitrust issues for several years [5][6].