A Washington judge is deciding whether Google must hand its Chrome browser to a new owner after finding the firm kept an illegal monopoly over search. Prosecutors told the court that Chrome gives Google a built-in gatekeeper because most users type queries straight into the address bar. More than half of global searches start there, according to testimony from the US Department of Justice.
Judge Amit Mehta is studying remedies from letting rivals plug into Google’s search index to forcing a full divestiture of Chrome. According to Reuters, he plans to outline his ruling in August 2025, though appeals are likely.
Google insists a sale is unnecessary and warns that cutting Chrome loose would damage the open-source Chromium code base that supports Edge, Opera, Arc and parts of Firefox. Lawyers for the company claim a new proprietor might stop maintaining the code or start charging developers, an outcome Google says would ripple across the entire browser scene.
Who Is Lining Up To Buy The Browser?
Yahoo Search boss Brian Provost told the court his team has built a prototype browser but argues that buying Chrome would lift Yahoo’s market share from three percent into double digits overnight. He values the acquisition at tens of billions of dollars and calls Chrome “the most important strategic player on the web.” Apollo Global Management, which owns Yahoo, is ready to bankroll the bid, according to Bloomberg.
OpenAI is looking to buy Chrome as well… During testimony on 22 April, ChatGPT chief Nick Turley said his company would “yes, absolutely” seek to purchase Chrome if the hammer falls. OpenAI executives hinted at weaving conversational search directly into the browser, turning every new tab into a chat window.
Perplexity AI also raised a hand, telling the court it sees Chrome as a fast track to bring its answer-engine to mainstream users. DuckDuckGo, in contrast, ruled itself out, saying the price far exceeds its resources. The flurry of interest shows how valuable a browser can be when paired with a search or AI service.
Yahoo’s appetite is a testament to its comeback plan. Once the leading search name, the company faded during the 2010s but has rebuilt under Apollo since 2021. According to court filings, Yahoo began designing a browser last summer and believes Chrome would shave years off that project while instantly capturing a vast user base.
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What Could This Change For The Internet?
If Chrome changes hands, the first shake-up would be the default search setting. Yahoo could flip the address bar to its own engine within hours, diverting millions of clicks away from Google. OpenAI, in turn, could replace links with conversational answers on the page, challenging the very idea of the ten-blue-links format.
Chromium’s fate hangs in the balance. Google now funds continuous security fixes and new features for the code base. Prosecutors say another steward could be appointed under the same open licence, while Google counters that no rival has the staff or cash to keep pace. The Verge notes that Edge, Opera and smaller browsers would face sudden uncertainty if upkeep stalls.
Advertisers are watching, each change in default search reshuffles where spending flows. An Apollo-backed Yahoo would pitch its revived search ads to marketers who want a counterweight to Google’s network. An OpenAI-owned Chrome, meanwhile, could carve out new ground for conversational commerce, though the company has given few details.
The court is aware that a forced sale of such a core asset would echo past break-ups, most famously AT&T in 1982. In written arguments, the Justice Department claims only a structural remedy can loosen Google’s grip on discovery and create real space for rivals. Google replies that its success flows from years of product improvement rather than unfair contracts.
Judge Mehta’s verdict will settle whether Chrome stays under Alphabet’s roof or embarks on a new chapter under fresh stewardship. Whichever path he chooses, the decision will shape how billions of people reach information every day… either through the familiar Google lens or through a brand new doorway.
