US to call for Google to sell Chrome browser: report

WASHINGTON

The U.S. will urge a judge to make Google-parent company Alphabet sell its widely used Chrome browser in a major antitrust crackdown on the internet giant, according to a media report.

Bloomberg reported that antitrust officials with the U.S. Department of Justice will ask for a sell-off of Chrome and a shake-up of other aspects of Google's business in court today.

Justice officials in October said they would demand that Google make profound changes to how it does business, even considering the possibility of a breakup, after the tech juggernaut was found to be running an illegal monopoly.

The government said in a court filing that it was considering options that included "structural" changes, which could see them asking for a divestment of its smartphone Android operating system or its Chrome browser.

Calling for the breakup of Google would mark a profound change by the U.S. government's reglators, which have largely left tech giants alone since failing to break up Microsoft two decades ago.

Determining how to address Google's wrongs is the next stage of a landmark antitrust trial that saw the company in August ruled a monopoly by U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta.

Requiring Google to make its search data available to rivals was also on the table.

Regardless of Judge Mehta's eventual decision, Google is expected to appeal the ruling, potentially prolonging the process for years and possibly reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.

The trial, which concluded last year, scrutinized Google's confidential agreements with smartphone manufacturers, including Apple.

These deals involve substantial payments to secure Google's search engine as the default option on browsers, iPhones and other devices.