Google Explored Using EU Law to Reduce Reliance on Apple's Browser and Attract More iPhone Users

Google executives discussed using EU law to reduce the company's reliance on Apple's Safari browser and undermine the iPhone maker.

Google pays Apple billions annually to remain the default search engine on Apple devices. The payment is based on a percentage of ad revenue from Apple traffic.

Google saw the EU's Digital Markets Act, intended to help smaller companies, as a way to lobby for access to Apple's ecosystem and attract iPhone users to Google Search.

If more iPhone users switched to Chrome and Google Search, Google could keep more ad revenue instead of paying a cut to Apple.

Regulations meant to help small businesses can also be exploited by large companies to gain advantage over rivals, as Google hoped to do versus Apple.