New testimony from Google’s antitrust trial has revealed that Google is paying Samsung a significant amount each month to preinstall the Gemini AI app on Samsung devices, according to Bloomberg. The arrangement began in January, coinciding with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series, where Gemini became the default AI assistant, replacing Samsung’s Bixby when users long-press the power button. This payment deal follows a previous ruling that found Google’s search engine to be an illegal monopoly, and current court discussions are focused on determining the severity of the penalties Google should face.
Peter Fitzgerald, Google’s vice president of platforms and device partnerships, testified that other companies, including Microsoft and Perplexity, had also approached Samsung with offers to preinstall their AI assistants. However, Google’s letters proposing amendments to its agreements with device makers were only sent last week, shortly before the trial, as pointed out by Department of Justice lawyers. Evidence presented in court included internal Google slides suggesting the company considered stricter distribution agreements that would have required preinstallation of Gemini alongside Google Search and Chrome.
Fitzgerald disclosed that the agreement with Samsung spans two years and includes fixed monthly payments along with a share of the subscription revenue generated by Gemini, rather than ad revenue as earlier reported. The exact amount of the monthly payments remains undisclosed, but DOJ attorney David Dahlquist described it as an “enormous sum.”
If the Department of Justice succeeds, Google could be barred from making default placement deals in the future, forced to sell its Chrome browser, and required to license much of the data that supports Google Search. Google, however, argues that it should only be restricted from securing default placement deals rather than facing broader penalties. The trial’s outcome could have major implications for Google’s future business practices and the wider tech industry.
