Google Cloud, Alphabet’s cloud technology division, says Microsoft’s cloud computing practices are anti-competitive. The indictment involves contracts signed by the software company with suppliers in Europe, stating that these measures do not address broader concerns about licensing.
In an interview with Reuters, the vice president of Google Cloud, Amit Zavery, confirmed that the case will be taken to the antitrust authorities of the European Union so that the accusation is investigated by the regulatory bodies. He alleges that his customers report difficulty in choosing another cloud provider due to the licensing and pricing employed by the rival.
“When we talk to many of our customers, they find that many of these service bundling practices, as well as the way they create pricing and licensing constraints, make it difficult for them to choose other service providers,” added the executive.
A Microsoft spokesperson took a stand last Thursday (30) saying that “andWe are committed to Europe’s cloud computing community and its success”, but without disclosing information. The European Commission did not comment on the matter and there is no forecast for the initiation of investigations.
“Microsoft definitely has a very anti-competitive stance on the cloud. They’re leveraging a lot of their dominance in on-premises businesses, as well as Office 365 and Windows, to tie Azure and the rest of cloud services together and make it harder for customers to access and choose. customers,” says Zavery.
This accusation revisits the case that happened in 2022 involving the licensing measures of the Microsoft Azure. At the time, the North American company took a public position in agreement with part of the accusations, reinforcing that “While not all claims are valid, some of them are, and we will make changes to address them.”
