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Google, Microsoft agree to stop fighting in antitrust court

The companies also say they plan to work together to settle any future issues before filing official complaints.
Written by Natalie Gagliordi, Contributor

Microsoft and Google have agreed to end all regulatory complaints lodged against one other in the U.S and across the globe. The companies also said they plan to work together to settle any future issues before filing official complaints.

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

Google echoed a similar statement, saying competition between the companies should be based "on the merits of our products, not in legal proceedings."

The news comes just two days after the European Commission (EC) claimed that Google has breached antitrust rules by imposing restrictions on Android device manufacturers and mobile network operators.

Google responded by saying its business model was designed to keep manufacturers' costs low and their flexibility high, while also giving consumers unprecedented control over their mobile devices.

As for the Google/Microsoft squabble, tensions began to soften between the two tech giants after new leadership took over within each organization. Microsoft previously agreed to drop patent litigation against Google, although there's still the matter of patent royalties from hardware makers using Android and Linux.

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