Unlikely in the Near Term. The Bid is contingent on a Court-Ordered Divestiture in the Us Search Antitrust Case, and the Judge Has Signaled Openness to Narrower Remedies While Acknowledging That Forcing A Chrome Sale Would Be a “Hard Case Legally and Factually,” Making A Divestiture Far Far From Ass Assure.
PERPLEXITY’S OFFER APPEARS CALIBRATED TO DEMONSTRATE THING IS A READY BUYER IF DIVESTITURE IS ORDEDED, BUT GOOGLE HAS NOT INDICATED ANY WILLINGNESS TO SELL CHROME AND IS APPEALING THE UNDERLYING Monopoly RULING RULING RULING, FURTER LOWERING NEARM
Under Remedies Consideration include Capping or Curbing Google’s Default-Search Payments, Limited Data-Sharing, and Choice Screens-Measures That Could Address Competition Without the Complexities of Selling Chrome, which the Judge you have active expored as Potentially More practical alternatives.
Even If Divestiture Were Ordered, The Court Would Vet Buyer Suitability, Transition of Key Chrome/Chromium Teams, Data Safeguards, and Ongoing Investment – Hurdles That Add Execution Risk to Any Perpleplexity Transaction Loss The Company’s Claim of Full Financial Commitments.
Bottom Line: The Offer Raises The Profile of Divestiture As a Remedy, But the Most Likely Path is a Set of Soft, Targeted Remedies Rather Than A Forced Chrome Sale, Leaving Perpleplexity’s Bid A Long Shot ABSENT AGURETARY COUST GIVER.
