In a significant antitrust action, the US Department of Justice has urged a judge to order the breakup of Google, including the sale of its Chrome browser.

This move is part of a broader effort to curb Google's dominance and prevent it from leveraging its Android mobile operating system to outcompete rivals.

The DOJ's request includes stopping Google from securing default search engine status on smartphones.

The case is being heard by US District Court Judge Amit Mehta, with both sides presenting next steps in April.

Google's appeal could extend proceedings for years, potentially reaching the Supreme Court.

The transition to President-elect Donald Trump's administration may further impact the case, with possible options including continuing, settling, or dropping it.

Antitrust officials argue Google's confidential deals, such as securing its search engine as a default on Apple devices, gave it an unprecedented edge, contributing to its control over 90% of the US online search market in 2020.

This case is one of five antitrust actions targeting big tech under scrutiny by US regulators.