According to ArsTechnicaThe D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has reportedly blocked Apple from intervening in a federal antitrust trial against Google that jeopardized Apple's lucrative search exclusivity agreement. In February this year, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta had rejectedApple’s request to play a limited role in the remedial phase of the Google search monopoly hearing.

According to MediaDailyNews, the latest ruling upheld Judge Mehta’s ruling that Apple took too long to file the application. Apple filed a motion to intervene in the trial on December 23 for the case that began in 2020. As Apple's efforts to protect its search agreement with Google hang in the balance, the company will have to be briefed outside of the hearing to express its concerns.

Apple's arrangement to continue setting Google as the iPhone's default search engine is reportedly worth $18 billion in 2021 and $20 billion in 2022. In the judge's January order on Apple's motion, Google had not yet taken a position on whether Apple should participate.

One concern Apple cited in its December motion to intervene was that it didn't want to lose its ability to "enter into other arrangements with Google." However, earlier this month, the Justice Department made changes to its proposed final ruling that would include allowing Google to pay Apple for services unrelated to search.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice won an antitrust lawsuit, ruling that Google held a monopoly in search and advertising. Now, courts are on the verge of finalizing remedies against Google, which include the U.S. Department of Justice recommending that the company ditch its Chrome browser and revamp its Android business.

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