Microsoft, Google Officially Agree To End Lawsuits
Regulatory disputes referred to 18 cases across US and Germany
Microsoft and Google have agreed to put an end to their long-running legal battle.
The two tech giants have agreed to withdraw a number of regulatory complaints, some of which have been in dispute for up to six years, as they look to focus on new priorities.
And the companies have even pledged to work together to settle any future disputes before calling on the regulators.
Peace in our time
“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 told Reuters.
Google confirmed it was withdrawing regulatory complaints against the Windows maker, saying, “Our companies compete vigorously, but we want to do so on the merits of our products, not in legal proceedings.”
Overall, 18 cases across the United States and Germany have been halted, covering technology used in smartphones, Wi-Fi and even Microsoft’s Xbox gaming platform that briefly halted sales of Xbox and Windows 7 in Germany.
The suits began back in 2010, when Microsoft began legal proceedings against Motorola over alleged patent violations in its use of the Android operating system.
Microsoft has waged an extensive campaign against Android during the past few years, badgering companies using the software for royalty payments, which caused an exasperated Google to accuse Microsoft of “extortion.”
Microsoft and Google first revealed they were looking to end their disputes last September, when the two companies released a statement declaring that they, “anticipate working together in other areas in the future to benefit our customers.”
However this is the first confirmation that the cases have officially ended.
The decision may free up some useful legal capacity for Google, which was last week slapped with a formal antitrust charge by the European Commission, which accused the search giant of abusing the dominance of Android across the continent.
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