The feud between Microsoft and Google gets additional spice. Microsoft accuses Google of running anti-lobbying campaigns in secret.
It has long been known that Microsoft and Google are not best friends. The argument flares up even more. In a blog, Rima Alaily, deputy general counsel, criticizes Google. Alaily accuses Google, among other things, of launching “shadow campaigns” and bribing smaller cloud providers to team up against Microsoft.
Open Cloud Coalition
The reason for the outrage is the official founding of the Open Cloud Coalition, an association of ten cloud providers from the EU and Great Britain, which was officially launched today. Microsoft is visibly disappointed that Google is also a member of this association. Alaily calls the association a “pseudo organization” created to conspire against Microsoft.
“We understand that Google will position itself as a supporting member rather than a market leader. It remains to be seen what Google has offered smaller businesses to join in the form of cash or discounts. “Google has gone to great lengths to hide its involvement, funding and control,” says Alaily.
The association defends itself against Microsoft’s allegations. In a statement to TechCrunch, the Open Cloud Coalition explained that the association was not founded against Microsoft or any other company, but rather aims to promote openness and interoperability in the cloud industry. Anyone who supports these values can join, the statement concludes.
Complaint against Microsoft
The feud between Microsoft and Google also goes back several years. Microsoft also needs to take matters into its own hands. It didn’t endear itself to competitors by making it more expensive to run Microsoft software in cloud environments other than Azure, for example. This led to several antitrust lawsuits against Microsoft, which it managed to escape with millions in checks against Google’s wishes.
Google itself went on the attack and recently filed a lawsuit against Microsoft on its own initiative. She initially only did this to offer the European cloud association CISPE half a billion to continue its proceedings against Microsoft – but in vain. Google itself is not affiliated with CISPE, but AWS is. Microsoft has also accused AWS of conspiring with the association’s members.