Google has taken a bold step by filing an antitrust complaint against Microsoft with the European Commission, accusing its competitor of engaging in anticompetitive practices in the cloud market. The complaint specifically targets Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure, alleging that it prevents European customers from switching to other cloud systems. Google claims that Microsoft’s use of the Windows server creates a lock-in effect, making it difficult for businesses to move away from Azure. Microsoft is said to impose financial penalties and create security and interoperability obstacles for customers looking to use other cloud providers.
This is not the first time Microsoft has faced antitrust scrutiny in the cloud market. In 2022, the European Commission received a complaint from the Amazon-backed cloud lobby CISPE about Microsoft’s contractual terms. The case was resolved with a €22 million settlement. Microsoft’s dominance in the cloud market, along with its ongoing antitrust probe over its communication and collaboration product Teams, has put the company under the EU’s radar.
As Google’s complaint unfolds, the European Commission and Microsoft are expected to provide their responses. With Amazon, Microsoft, and Google leading the global cloud infrastructure market, the competition between these tech giants remains fierce. If Microsoft is found to have breached antitrust regulations, it could face a hefty fine of up to 10% of its annual revenue. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
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