Google pays Samsung big bucks to keep Gemini on Galaxy phones – but at what cost?
Google has been known to hand out big bucks to keep its apps front and center on Android phones and now it is doing the same with its AI assistant, Gemini.
According to a recent report (subscription required), Google has been paying Samsung a hefty sum every month just to make sure Gemini is pre-installed on Galaxy phones. This partnership kicked off in January and is backed by a contract that will run for at least two years.
Peter Fitzgerald, Google's VP of platforms and device partnerships, told Judge Amit Mehta, who oversees the antitrust case against the search giant, that Samsung gets both a fixed monthly payment and a cut of ad revenue from Gemini. And while Samsung did get offers from big names like Microsoft, Meta and ChatGPT's creator OpenAI to promote their AI tools, Google came out on top.
Interestingly, part of the deal includes some flexibility – Samsung isn't locked into Gemini only. The agreement allows it to add other generative AI apps if it wants. Google also just changed its broader search deal with Samsung, removing the previous requirement that forced Samsung to only pre-install Google Search and Assistant.
While exact numbers weren't shared, DOJ attorney David Dahlquist called the monthly payments "enormous." For context, between 2020 and 2023, Google shelled out $8 billion to secure default placements for Google Search, the Play Store and Google Assistant on Samsung devices – so I would not be surprised if this new deal is in the same ballpark.
This all came out as part of the ongoing antitrust case against Google, where the company's accused of abusing its dominance in the search engine market. One big focus has been on how Google pays companies like Apple and Samsung to keep its services as the default.
Judge Mehta has already ruled that these practices break antitrust laws and the court is now figuring out what Google needs to do to fix things.
According to a recent report (subscription required), Google has been paying Samsung a hefty sum every month just to make sure Gemini is pre-installed on Galaxy phones. This partnership kicked off in January and is backed by a contract that will run for at least two years.
We took into consideration what was being offered by competitors.
– Peter Fitzgerald, Google's VP of platforms and device partnerships, April 2025
While exact numbers weren't shared, DOJ attorney David Dahlquist called the monthly payments "enormous." For context, between 2020 and 2023, Google shelled out $8 billion to secure default placements for Google Search, the Play Store and Google Assistant on Samsung devices – so I would not be surprised if this new deal is in the same ballpark.
This all came out as part of the ongoing antitrust case against Google, where the company's accused of abusing its dominance in the search engine market. One big focus has been on how Google pays companies like Apple and Samsung to keep its services as the default.
Judge Mehta has already ruled that these practices break antitrust laws and the court is now figuring out what Google needs to do to fix things.
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