Microsoft and Google agree to drop all complaints to regulators against each other

Microsoft and Google have reached an agreement to stop complaining about each other to regulators. Speaking to Re/code, the companies have said they will attempt to work out any issues between themselves in the future, before getting regulators involved.

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

Google said that they want to continue competing with Microsoft, but “want to do so on the merits” of their products, “not in legal proceedings”. Given the fact that the EU recently filed official complaints against Android, this decision by Microsoft and Google is interesting, to say the least.

While it seems suspiciously coincidental, both companies insist this move has nothing to do with the European Commision’s complaints, and that it’s been in the works for some time. With that said, it’s again coincidental that Microsoft has dropped its memberships with ICOMP and FairSearch, two groups which support the EU’s other antitrust allegations against Google’s search business.

With last year’s agreement to drop all patent litigation against each other and today’s agreement, it’s clear, Microsoft and Google are now best friends.