Google reportedly pays an “enormous sum of money” to Samsung to preinstall the Gemini app. As per the report, the Mountain View-based tech giant began paying the South Korean tech giant in January. The information was said to be revealed by a Google executive while testifying in the ongoing antitrust case against the US Justice Department. However, the company reportedly claimed that the deal does not prohibit Samsung from preinstalling alternative artificial intelligence (AI) apps on its devices, or from seeking similar deals from other companies.
Google Is Reportedly Paying Samsung to Preinstall Gemini in Its Devices
According to a Bloomberg report, Google is paying a hefty sum to Samsung to get the Gemini app preinstalled on its devices. The information was said to be shared by Peter Fitzgerald, the Vice President for Global Partnerships, Platforms & Devices at Google, during his testimony in a court. The executive was reportedly testifying in the ongoing US Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google.
While the exact amount was not disclosed, Fitzgerald reportedly said it was an “enormous sum of money”. Google is said to have started paying Samsung since January, and the contract will run for another two years, at least.
The Google executive reportedly said the company makes a fixed monthly payment “for each device that preinstalls Gemini.” Additionally, Samsung is also said to get a percentage of the revenue Google earns from users subscribing to Gemini Advanced.
There is also a provision that allows the South Korean brand to earn a percentage of Google’s earnings from ads shown in the Gemini app, Fitzgerald said. Gemini does not currently show any ads. The crux of the ongoing antitrust case against Google is that it illegally paid original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to keep its search engine as the default option.
However, as per the report, the Google executive clarified that the current deal with Samsung does not prohibit the latter from preinstalling AI apps from competitors. Fitzgerald reportedly highlighted that Samsung has received “competitive offers” from companies such as Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI to preinstall their AI apps.
