A US court's conclusion that Google has a monopoly in the search market could lead to a series of major changes on the Internet in the coming time.

On August 5, District of Columbia judge Amit P. Mehta declared Google a search monopoly. Alphabet, Google's parent company, said it would appeal, while affirming that what it is doing is "focused on creating products that people find useful and easy to use."

But if Google fails, experts say the Internet could be in for a major change.

The Google logo at its Las Vegas office, photographed earlier this year.

Google forced to 'open' search engine.

Some experts predict the ruling will force Alphabet to launch a better, more open search engine than it currently has. One that is ad-free or tailored to kids, news junkies, or fans of a particular genre. Of course, it may not be free as it is now.

To do that, Google would be forced to give other companies access to its search technology or the data needed to create search engines that are "Google-like but not Google-like."

"You can imagine a company taking Google's secret sauce and tweaking it to make it more kid friendly. Another company could prioritize search results to protect your privacy, and another could prioritize results in a way that favors images," Matt Stoller, research director at the American Economic Liberties Project and a frequent critic of Big Tech's power, told the Washington Post. “We’re going to see innovation for humanity.”

Apple could create its own search engine.

Apple typically develops its own products rather than relying on third-party companies, but Google is an exception. The search engine has been available on iPhones for more than a decade.

Google pays Apple tens of billions of dollars a year, with a reported $20 billion in 2022, to be the default on devices like the iPhone and iPad. The deal benefits both parties: Google gets exclusive access to the value of its massive user base, while Apple gets a “huge” amount of money each year.

Megan Gray, an antitrust expert at GrayMatters Law & Policy, said the new ruling could significantly change or even end Google’s deal with Apple, as well as other companies that partner to bring Google’s search engine to their platforms.

“The most likely scenario is that users need to choose a search service before they use their iPhones or iPads,” Gray said. "But eventually, Apple will create its own tools, like starting with Apple Maps to replace Google Maps."

Google advertising prices drop.

In theory, experts say, if Google alternatives become popular, competition will increase. Services will compete to reduce prices to attract users.

However, businesses are likely to benefit. Meanwhile, users may have to "suffer" from more types and models of advertising appearing on search pages in the future.

"Baby Googles".

One of the judges' requirements when sentencing Google as a monopoly is that there are too many dominant and monopolistic areas. Therefore, one possibility is that Alphabet must separate its subsidiaries, or "Baby Googles".

In this scenario, the Chrome browser, Google Search, Android and some other areas could become separate companies. Stoller said that corporations like Standard Oil and AT&T have been forced to split up in the past, so future “Baby Googles” are not out of the question.

Google No Longer Allowed to Know Too Much About Users.

Jason Kint, head of online news advocacy group Digital Content Next, wrote on his blog that without splitting into “Baby Googles,” the courts could still force Alphabet to not combine the user data it collects across its entire service offering. It would essentially be a “divorce” of Google’s products without breaking it up into smaller businesses.

Currently, Google data is interconnected across its platforms. Kint envisions a future where what users do on their Android phones or Chrome browsers won’t be dumped into a giant Google repository. With less information, users’ privacy will also be more assured.

“Google’s defeat in the search antitrust case could be a big deal, depending on the remedy,” Emarketer senior analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf told the AP.