Google prevented DuckDuckGo

As Google is in Federal Court about antitrust, CNBC reports Google’s contracts with browser makers blocked us from distribution, says rival search engine DuckDuckGo:

Google’s exclusive contracts proved to be an “obstacle” for DuckDuckGo in pitching browsers on becoming the default search engine for their private browsing modes, DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg testified in federal court on Thursday.

Nothing shocking here. Google, the new Microsoft, uses its dominant position to block competition. We’ll see in Federal Court is more this as evidence of the practice.

Similarly, The Washington Post (via MSN) reports that Google pays Apple billions a year to use its search engine. Now executives must testify.:

The pair of tech giants have been tight-lipped about the estimated $19 billion that Google pays Apple per year to ensure its search engine remains the default on iPhones and other Apple devices — a deal that spans 18 years. Both companies have sought to keep details of the transactions out of the public eye, with filings in the case heavily redacted.

19B$ is about 5% of Apple 2022 revenue. And the fact they keep the secret so tight… and in the last ten year Apple never mentioned it in the earning calls.