The ruling
The DOJ case concluded that Google violated antitrust law by paying billions to be the default search engine on iOS and Android. The finding was not close.
Why remedies matter more
The finding itself changes nothing. Structural remedies — forced divestiture, API access mandates, default choice screens — change everything. The remedies phase runs through 2026.
What developers should watch
- Search API access: if Google is forced to open its index, RAG pipelines get a new data source
- Browser defaults: weakening Chrome/Google search coupling affects search-as-a-channel for content
- Android: Play Store and search default separation could shift app discovery economics
Takeaway
Nothing changes this year. Plan for a more fragmented search landscape in 2026.