Today it was reported that Google has a revenue-sharing agreement with Apple that pays the iPhone maker a staggering 36% of the revenue that Google earns from search ads on Apple’s Safari browser. The two companies have had a partnership since 2002 that makes Google search the default search engine on Safari. These details were revealed in testimony in an antitrust lawsuit.

I don’t know how much revenue Apple receives under this agreement, but I’d imagine it’s in the billion if not tens of billions of dollars annually, given the global popularity of iPhone and other Apple devices.

Apple’s successful hardware business has another benefit for Apple. These devices are highly effective modes for distributing software and other digital tools, and companies wanting to distribute digital offerings to consumers will pay Apple to do it for them. Apple’s App Store and the revenue-sharing agreement with Google demonstrate that Apple is aware of its distribution power and plans to continue to monetize these capabilities.