Google's Antitrust Woes Deepen with Hefty Samsung Deal for AI Assistant

Apr 22, 2025
The Verge
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Summary

Despite antitrust scrutiny over preinstallation deals, Google struck a hefty agreement with Samsung to make its Gemini AI assistant the default on Samsung devices, raising concerns about potential anticompetitive practices and prompting regulatory action.

Key Points

  • Google is paying Samsung a substantial monthly fee and a percentage of subscription revenue to preinstall Google's Gemini AI assistant as the default on Samsung devices.
  • The deal was struck after Google was found to have violated antitrust laws, partially due to similar preinstallation deals with other companies.
  • The Department of Justice called the fixed monthly payment to Samsung an 'enormous sum' and is seeking remedies that could prevent such deals in the future.

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