An Apple executive defends the company's choice to make Google the default search engine on iPhones and Macs

Apple's senior executive said there was no "valid alternative" to Google as the default search engine on iPhones and Macs.

Apple's senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue, said Tuesday in the largest antitrust trial in 25 years that Google was unparalleled in helping phone and computer users browse the internet.

Google, known for its search engine, has been accused by the U.S. Department of Justice of stifling competition by paying Apple, Verizon, and other tech companies to make its search engine the first people see when they open their smartphones.

Google claims it leads the market because its search engine is better, which Cue corroborated in his testimony. Google also claims that users can switch search engines with a few clicks.

In 2020, the Trump administration brought the largest antitrust case since the Justice Department sued Microsoft for internet browser dominance 25 years earlier. U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. began the trial Sept. 12.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta may rule early next year. If he finds Google guilty, another trial will examine how to limit its market power. Mountain View, California-based Google might be barred from paying Apple and others to make Google the default search engine.