Reported that Google blocked Samsung from adding a new search engine to its Galaxy phone.

CTOnews.com, Oct. 6 (Xinhua)-- Google's antitrust case is now in its fourth week, and the U.S. Justice Department has accused Google of paying $10 billion a year (CTOnews.com Note: about 73.1 billion yuan) to ensure it becomes the default search engine for Samsung and Apple devices.

During the latest court hearing, Patrick Chang, a former executive who worked in Samsung's venture capital arm Samsung Next, testified that Google and Samsung had signed an agreement to prevent the addition of new search engines to Galaxy phones.

Before leaving Samsung, Chang was mainly responsible for finding innovative companies for Samsung to invest in. In the process, Chang and company executives tried to add an app called Branch to Samsung phones.

CTOnews.com attached the application description as follows: "this launcher provides you with enhanced application search capabilities so that you can accurately access the correct application when needed."

Alexander Austin, founder and former chief executive of Branch Metrics, claimed that the company had to give up some of its software features in order to meet Google's requirements for deals with operators and smartphone makers.

Austin said that if Branch is to be available in Samsung Mall, search options must be limited in the app and cannot be web-based.

Chang also testified that Samsung pays annual fees to operators such as AT&T to ensure that devices cannot use Branch as a search engine.