Google paid $26.3 billion to various phone manufacturers, websites, and platforms in 2021.
Thanks to the U.S. vs. Google antitrust suit, we’re finally getting more accurate information on how much the Alphabet subsidiary spends to guarantee that its search engine is the default one on various handsets, and browsers. Testimony elicited during the trial revealed that in 2021, the company spent a whopping $26.3 billion for that “privilege.” Since we know that Alphabet is not in the business of giving away money, we have to assume that spending this cash brought in a higher amount of advertising revenue.As discussed by The Verge, the figure came out in the courtroom during the DOJ’s cross-examination of Google search chief Prabhakar Raghavan. The figure was released to the public after talks between the two sides and Judge Amit Mehta were held to discuss whether that number should be redacted to keep it from the public.
