Google Alleges Microsoft of Unfair Cloud Business Practices
According to The Information, Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has lodged a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, alleging that Microsoft has leveraged its dominant position in enterprise software to steer customers towards its cloud services.
Microsoft used the license terms of its Office 365 productivity software to lock customers into separate contracts with its Azure cloud server business, Google’s complaint says, according to a report.
The two US tech giants are facing fierce competition in the fast-growing, multibillion-dollar cloud services business, where Google is trailing market leaders Amazon.com and Microsoft.
The industry has recently come under increased regulatory scrutiny, including in the US and UK, due to the dominance of a few players and its increasingly critical role as more companies move their services to the cloud.
In March, Google Cloud had accused Microsoft of anti-competitive cloud computing practices and criticized upcoming deals with several European cloud providers, saying they would not address broader concerns about its licensing terms.
Earlier this year, the FTC had said it was seeking information from the public about cloud computing companies’ business practices, including details about their market power, competition and potential security issues.
Google and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment, while the FTC declined to comment.
