Microsoft is attempting to sway organizations into dropping antitrust complaints by offering collaborations and marketing promotions.
A lawyer for cloud computing company Nextcloud recently presented the European Commission with an antitrust complaint against Microsoft. Nextcloud accused Microsoft of eliminating competition by pressuring users to use its competing cloud software by combining it with Windows.
Microsoft contacted Nextcloud through a lawyer of its own. Microsoft asked Nextcloud whether the companies could collaborate, offering to promote Nextcloud’s logo in a Microsoft marketing campaign if Nextcloud were to drop the complaints.
“He was basically offering us a cookie”, Nextcloud CEO Frank Karlitschek told the Wall Street Journal. “It isn’t about having a logo somewhere or doing a quick deal. We’re not interested in that. We are concerned about the overall antitrust situation.”
Microsoft responds
Microsoft President Brad Smith recently released a statement on the ordeal. The organization promised to create room for competition in the European Union in a number of ways. Contacting the sources of the complaints, which is exactly what happened here, wasn’t mentioned in the release.
Smith doesn’t consider the approach problematic. “You can’t become allies until you stop being adversaries, and can’t stop being adversaries until we address the concerns that they legitimately have raised”, he told the Wall Street Journal.
Technological innovation in European Union
Microsoft established its first official international branch in Europe to recruit local representatives to manage international business dealings in expanding regions. Microsoft’s growth started with the IBM deal when it developed an operating system for the first IBM PC.
It is growing with the adoption and development of advanced features and technology. As it keeps up its performance improvements and fierce competition, Microsoft’s stock market value reached $1 trillion.
Many top tech companies recognize that part of the business is getting to know regulators, competitors, and other stakeholders. Microsoft responds to regulations in the United States by contacting decision-makers and generally following conventional methods to address critics. Microsoft responded to the most recent issues in Europe in the same way.
44 minutes ago
