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Microsoft Abandons 30-Year Tradition of Naming Rivals in Annual Report
3 Aug
Summary
- Microsoft no longer names competitors in annual report
- Shift to focus on broader market trends and dynamics
- Other tech giants like Amazon and Alphabet have also stopped this practice
As of July 2025, Microsoft has made a notable change in its annual reporting, ceasing the longstanding practice of naming its competitors. For the past three decades, the tech giant had consistently identified its rivals, such as Apple and IBM, in its public filings. However, Microsoft's 2024 annual report, released earlier this month, no longer mentions these longtime adversaries, nor does it cite emerging AI players like Anthropic or Databricks as competitors.
Instead, the Windows and CoPilot maker now describes its competitive landscape with references only to broader categories like productivity software, PC operating systems, and cloud infrastructure. This shift is intended to reflect the "fast-moving nature" of today's technology markets, according to a Microsoft spokesperson.
The company's decision to move away from naming names is not unique. Other tech giants, including Amazon and Alphabet, have also stopped this practice in recent years, while Apple, Meta, and Nvidia continue to list their rivals in their filings.
