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Google CEO Sundar Pichai once warned top executives that the company risked bad optics by pushing for its search engine to be the only option on Apples browser, according to emails submitted in the Justice Departments landmark antitrust trial.

Pichai outlined his concerns in emails sent in 2007 to Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin as well as other company leaders.

Pichai, who was heading up the team responsible for Googles Chrome browser, argued that the company should nudge Apple to allow customers to select their preferred search engine.

I know we are insisting on default, but at the same time I think we should encourage them to have Yahoo as a choice in the pull down or some other easy option, Pichai said in the email, according to Bloomberg.

I dont think it is a good user experience nor the optics is great for us to be the only provider in the browser, Pichai added.

Pichais past remarks could lend support to the Justice Departments key argument in the once-in-a-generation trial. The feds say Google pays more than $10 billion per year to smartphone makers like Apple and mobile carriers to secure default status on devices and block rivals from gaining market share.

Google has countered the argument by stating that customers choose its search engine because it is the best product of its kind. The Big Tech firms lawyers have also downplayed the importance of default status by asserting customers can change their search engine with just a few clicks.

On Tuesday, Justice Department attorneys also questioned Google executive Joan Braddi, who played a key role in negotiating the companys search deals with Apple and was included in Pichais messages.

Braddi testified that Apple repeatedly pushed for more flexibility on search engine defaults through revised terms for the Google deal including a 2014 agreement that cleared Apple to implement rivals’ search products in other countries.

When asked if Google currently pays a significant amount of money to Apple through the revenue-sharing deal, Braddi said: It wasnt always, but today, yes, according to Bloomberg.

Last week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, whose company operates the rival Bing search engine, said the entire notion that consumers have a choice in the online search market is completely bogus due to Googles dominant hold on the market.

Google has a roughly 90% market share in online search, easily outpacing that of competitors such as Microsofts Bing and the privacy-focused DuckDuckGo.

Search advertising generated $42.6 billion in quarterly revenue, according to its latest earnings report in July — bucking a trend that has seen a slowdown in rivals Meta and Snap, Bloomberg reported.

Googles long-term partnership with Apple has been a central focus during the antitrust trial, which is roughly halfway through its expected 10-week run time.

Google has been the default search engine for Apples Safari browser since 2002. The two companies most recently renegotiated the deal in 2021.

Longtime Apple executive Eddy Cue, the companys senior vice president of services, previously defended the deal on the witness stand.

Cue told the court that Apple selected Google because there certainly wasnt a valid alternative we would have gone to at the time. He added that Apple hasnt developed its own search engine due to the quality of Googles product.

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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.

Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.

He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.

Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.

Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.

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A’s Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

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A's Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.

Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.

“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”

Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.

His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.

The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.

Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.

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O’s trade reliever Baker to Rays for draft pick

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O's trade reliever Baker to Rays for draft pick

BALTIMORE — The Orioles traded right-handed reliever Bryan Baker to AL East rival Tampa Bay on Thursday in exchange for the 37th overall pick in the 2025 MLB amateur draft, a sign that one of baseball’s most disappointing clubs could be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.

Orioles general manager Mike Elias wouldn’t completely commit to that idea. Speaking to reporters before Thursday’s split doubleheader against the New York Mets, he cited the 2024 Detroit Tigers, who traded players off their major league roster but held on to ace Tarik Skubal and then surged into a playoff spot.

Elias did, however, acknowledge the possibility of selling on a day that began with last-place Baltimore (40-50) sitting 12½ games behind the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays and seven out of the final AL wild-card spot.

“I think it’s a step in that direction,” said Elias three weeks before the July 31 deadline. “There’s no way around that. The timing of the draft, and when you have draft picks involved in the trades, kind of front-loads these decisions, and it’s earlier than my comfort level. But we thought it was a really good return and a good trade for everyone. So, we did it.”

The draft begins Sunday. In a corresponding move, the Orioles selected the contract of catcher David Bañuelos from Triple-A Norfolk.

After a dreadful start that brought the May dismissal of manager Brandon Hyde, the Orioles have steadied under interim skipper Tony Mansolino, playing to a 21-14 record since a loss to St. Louis on May 28.

Baker was a solid part of that, posting a 3.52 ERA, striking out 49 batters and posting a 1.096 WHIP in 38⅓ innings as the setup man for closer Felix Bautista.

“This is a team that is moving in the right direction, and we still have a lot of time left before the deadline, but this was a trade with the draft coming up in a couple days that we had to make a decision on,” Elias said. “We didn’t want to pass up on the opportunity. Hopefully, we can use the pick wisely, bring a lot of value back, and Bryan’s going to a good place.”

Mansolino is also hoping his team will get replenishments in the form of players eventually returning from the injured list. That sizable group includes several possible starting pitchers: Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder), Albert Suarez (shoulder), Tyler Wells (elbow) and Kyle Bradish (Tommy John surgery).

Meanwhile, Baltimore will now have four of the first 37 and seven of the first 93 draft picks.

“All the drafts are important, but when you have this amount of picks, it becomes more important, there’s no question about it,” Elias said. “There’s just a much bigger opportunity ahead of us, and the draft is a lifeblood for our franchise.”

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