Google is trying to use Chromebooks to lure Microsoft's Azure partners away

Though Google may be dominating Microsoft in the consumer world, in the commercial cloud world it is still something of a contest, with Microsoft’s Azure being one of the main platforms in this market and Google being an also-ran at this stage.

Google is reportedly sending packages to Microsoft’s Azure partners trying to convince them to switch sides to Google. Included in this package are testimonials from partners like Spotify and Evernote, who swear by Google cloud and a free Chromebook with the offer of a Hangouts call to explain how Google Cloud and Google business services can help run their businesses more efficiently. It’s also a play at getting more vendors to offer Google Cloud alongside Amazon Web Services and Azure, the two dominant platforms in this market.

It’s an interesting tactic, and one that should work for morethann a few small business owners. Microsoft still has the upper hand here of course, and the atrong proliferatin of  Microsoft powered business tools will ensure it stays that way for some time.