FT.com / In depth - Microsoft says rivals may rue siding with EU

Interesting times... 

The developer suggests that other software and technology companies such as IBM, Google and Apple could be next in line should the European Commission decision be upheld. It argues that the legal reasoning applied by the Brussels watchdog may well be turned against some of the very companies that have supported the Commission’s case and trigger a broader crackdown on the industry.

Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, told the Financial Times: “Obviously, law that is made for Microsoft is going to apply to other market leaders as well. IBM, Google, Apple and others would have to look very carefully at the implications for their business models.”

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The most prominent backers of the Brussels line are grouped in an association called Ecis. These include IBM, Oracle, Sun, Nokia, Adobe and Red Hat. Google has not formally sided with the Brussels regulator, but is understood to have raised concerns about Microsoft’s behaviour regarding web search engines.

FT.com / In depth - Microsoft says rivals may rue siding with EU