In 2022, Alphabet paid Apple $20 billion. Having been denied full inclusion at the forthcoming trial to determine Google's future, Apple has filed a motion to delay the whole proceedings. It was formally and legally decided in August 2024 that Google and its Alphabet parent company, represent a search and advertising monopoly. What Apple wants and has previously been denied, is a seat at a trial determining what steps Google must take next.

Apple had asked to be a participant in this remedy trial specifically because of its annual $20 billion contract with Google. But it asked by filing a motion on December 23, 2024, and Judge Amit Metha has ruled Apple's motion was simply too late. The key part of Apple's full new court filing is that Judge Metha was wrong. "Apple moved to intervene promptly once it became clear its interests were no longer adequately protected," says the filing.

Where Judge Metha had said Apple should have known from the start of the case in 2020 that its contractual rights could be affected. Apple says no, it couldn't have known this until the Plaintiffs in the case — the Department of Justice (DOJ) — proposed forbidding any contract between Google and Apple. Judge Metha had said that Apple would be allowed to submit its position and opinion in briefing documents. However, according to Apple, that's not enough — and DOJ is trying to stop even this.

"Plaintiffs [have] informed Apple that they intend to contest this Court's intervention order," said Apple, "to the extent it permits Apple to submit up to 'two affidavits from fact witnesses.'". Consequently, Apple says that being shut out of deliberations that would see its Google contract being terminated, means the company "will suffer clear and substantial irreparable harm." It would be affect "millions of users and Apple's entitlement to compensation for distributing Google search to its users [on iPhone].".

Judge Metha's argument included how allowing Apple to participate at what he says is too late a stage, would allow other parties to request the same access. The judge is working to conclude the case by August 2025, and such additional contributions would delay it. Apple's filing repeatedly acknowledges the timescale issue, but says it's because of this that it must be allowed to be included. Apple also outlined that for speed, it will file a similar motion for a delay with the DC Circuit, though it will withdraw that if Judge Metha's court agrees to a stay.

Beyond that, it is also calling for "expedited consideration of this motion." Specifically, Apple hopes that the Court "can resolve this motion as early as February 4, 2025.". Should Apple's motion be denied by the court, its one to the DC Circuit will continue and there is no clear schedule for that. William Gallagher has 30 years of experience between the BBC and AppleInsider discussing Apple technology. Outside of AppleInsider, he's best known for writing Doctor Who radio dramas for BBC/Big Finish, and is the De...

According to a new leak, Apple has pulled the plug on a project that allegedly hoped to produce lower-cost augmented reality glasses after the project seemingly couldn't meet executive expectations. Visual Intelligence may be the most powerful Apple Intelligence feature. Here's what it is, how it works, and we'll go through several different real world examples. The Orico 20Plus MagPro Magnetic iPhone Portable SSD is a speedy-enough SSD for your iPhone, that is let down by the incredibly sorry state of Apple's Files app.

Apple TV+ hit drama "Severance" has pulled another elaborate stunt with the partial release of the book, "The You You Are," as featured and taken far too seriously in the show. B&H's blowout MacBook Pro sale features a variety of deals on M3 Pro and M3 Max models, with prices as low as $1,599. Apple's AirTag location tracking device is over three years old, and it is rumored to get a refresh soon. Here's what to expect from the AirTag in 2025.