SoftwareGrab your popcorn as Microsoft lands in hot water again with the EU for its ‘insufficient’ changes to how it bundles TeamsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
SoftwareGrab your popcorn as Microsoft lands in hot water again with the EU for its ‘insufficient’ changes to how it bundles TeamsWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
The everlong battle between Microsoft and the European Commission gained a fresh page in its annals, as not only does the Commission believe the software giant has breached EU antitrust laws, but it also finds changes to how Microsoft distributes Teams to be “insufficient to address its concerns” and that “more changes to [its] conduct are necessary to restore competition.”
Three years later, the EC opened an investigation as to whether Microsoft was in breach of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, essentially a law that prohibits companies from abusing a dominant position in the EU market. Around the same time,Alphaview(a developer of video-conferencing software) also lodged a similar complaint, and the EC has decided to adjust the investigation so that it covers both allegations.
In its statement, the Commission writes that Microsoft has been “restricting competition on the market for communication and collaboration products” and that the changes Microsoft had put into place when the EC commenced its investigation are “insufficient to address its concerns and that more changes to Microsoft’s conduct are necessary to restore competition.”
Thechanges in questionwere quite simple: Microsoft stopped including Teams with its Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions for Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA). It also adjusted its software to allow companies, such as Zoom and Slack, to create integrated solutions for products like Exchange, Outlook and, of course, Teams.
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Even for a company with theworld’s largest marketcapitalisation, twenty-odd billion dollars is hardly small change. Not that the news worried investors, as Microsoft’s share prices showed no signs of dropping in value. I have no doubt that It will contest the Commission’s findings, but whether it will just pay the fine or make Teams a completely separate package is anyone’s guess right now.
In the meantime, I’ll just munch on some popcorn and watch what happens. Popcorn’s a healthy snack, did you know that? Tasty, too. Much nicer to eat than a certain cloud-based communications and collaboration tool, that’s for sure.
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Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.
Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.
Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.
Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.
Best gaming PC: The top pre-built machines.Best gaming laptop: Great devices for mobile gaming.
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The Last of Us season 2 trailer is a brief look at a story you should probably just play yourself in April
Lords of the Fallen publisher embraces fear of the DEI boogeyman, says it will not include ‘any social or political agendas’ in its games
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says tech leaders are ‘pretending to be Republicans’ to gain favor with Trump, skirt antitrust laws, and ultimately ‘rip off consumers and crush competitors’
If you’re trying to convince me your ‘companionship’ robot is ‘lifelike’, maybe don’t rip her face off in the demo video
Square Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fans
The Sims begins its 25th anniversary celebration next week with a Behind The Sims episode of news and announcements
Path of Exile 2 numberlord spends 16 straight days killing rare monsters to prove that a stat that makes loot better makes better loot
Palestinian developer raises more than $200,000 to make Dreams on a Pillow, a game about the horrors of the 1948 Nakba
Piranha Games will lay off employees after Mechwarrior 5: Clans ‘performed below projections’
Marvel Rivals’ latest update quietly killed the game’s burgeoning mod scene
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