Apple gains advantage in antitrust fight after Google loses monopoly case

Apple could be a beneficiary of Alphabet’s recent defeat of Google in a US antitrust case. The ruling, which declared Google’s search business a monopoly, potentially helps Apple defend itself in its own antitrust lawsuit, legal experts suggest.

A federal judge sided with state and federal law enforcement in finding Google’s search operations illegal but dismissing claims that Google’s advertising tools give it an unfair advantage over Bing, an aspect experts say could strengthen Apple’s defense in an antitrust case.

Herbert Hovenkamp of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School said the ruling underscores that companies rarely have a “duty of conduct” toward rivals. The Apple case could now face closer scrutiny when it comes to the duty of conduct.

(Based on information from the agency.)