Microsoft, Google To Drop Complaint Against Each Other

In separate emails released by Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc’s Google, the two companies have agreed to bury their differences and focus on competing vigorously for business and for customers based on the merit of their products.

“Microsoft has agreed to withdraw its regulatory complaints against Google, reflecting our changing legal priorities. We will continue to focus on competing vigorously for business and for customers,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email.

Google, in a separate email, said the companies would want to compete vigorously based on the merits of their products, not in “legal proceedings”.

In september last year, the companies agreed to entomb all patent infringement litigations against each other, settling 18 cases in the United States and Germany.

“… Following our patent agreement, we’ve now agreed to withdraw regulatory complaints against one another,” Google said on Friday.

Last year, it was reported Google’s rivals had reached out to U.S. regulators claiming that the Internet services company unfairly uses its Android system to win online advertising.

The European Commission also accused Google last year of distorting internet search results to favor its shopping service, harming both rivals and consumers.