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Microsoft breached antitrust rules by bundling Teams with office software, European Union says

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Microsoft breached antitrust rules by bundling Teams with office software, European Union says

Microsoft has been accused by the European Union of violating antitrust rules by bundling its Teams messaging and video conferencing app with its business software. The European Commission believes that Microsoft restricted competition by tying Teams to core office productivity applications and not giving customers a choice. The Commission is concerned that this gives Teams an unfair advantage over competitors and inhibits innovation in the market. Microsoft has made some changes in response but the Commission says more needs to be done. The company could face a fine or be required to implement remedies. Rival company Slack has filed a complaint alleging that Microsoft abused its dominance.

Related News

Microsoft to unbundle Office and Teams globally following years-long criticism

TechCrunch · 1y ago

Microsoft to unbundle Office and Teams globally following years-long criticism

Microsoft is releasing a new version of its Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscription services that will exclude Teams, following regulatory scrutiny from the European Union and complaints from competitor Slack. Last year, Microsoft agreed to sell Office 365 without including Microsoft Teams in the EU and Switzerland. Businesses have argued that Microsoft has an unfair advantage by bundling the two offerings together. Microsoft stated that the unbundling addresses feedback from the European Commission and provides more flexibility for multinational companies. The new Office 365 lineups are set to be introduced soon.

Microsoft to separate Teams and Office globally amid antitrust scrutiny

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Microsoft to separate Teams and Office globally amid antitrust scrutiny

Microsoft will now offer its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product worldwide, following its earlier unbundling in Europe. This move aims to avoid any potential antitrust fines from the European Commission, which has been investigating Microsoft's tying of Office and Teams since a complaint by rival app Slack. While bundling the products together has given Microsoft an advantage, the company believes that offering Teams separately provides more flexibility for multinational companies. Microsoft is introducing new Microsoft 365 and Office 365 packages without Teams outside of Europe, as well as a standalone Teams offering for enterprise customers in those regions.

EU vs Big Tech: the cases keep mounting

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

EU vs Big Tech: the cases keep mounting

The European Union has initiated various investigations and complaints against big tech companies concerning user data and privacy issues. Amazon has been asked to provide information about its compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). Meta (formerly Facebook) has faced allegations of breaching digital competition rules by giving users the option to pay for ad-free versions of its platforms. Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI is being scrutinized by EU regulators. The EU has accused Microsoft of violating antitrust rules by bundling its Teams app with its business software. Apple has been charged with breaching the EU's Digital Markets Act for its App Store rules. The EU is also planning to impose customs duties on goods bought from Chinese online retailers.

EU antitrust probes Microsoft's security software practices, Information reports

Reuters · 1y ago

EU antitrust probes Microsoft's security software practices, Information reports

European Union regulators are investigating whether Microsoft is preventing its customers from purchasing security software from its competitors, according to a document sent by the EU to at least one rival in January. This follows complaints from companies about Microsoft's practice of bundling its services and its growing cloud business. The investigation focuses on Microsoft's Entra ID software, previously known as Azure Active Directory, which allows companies to control access to their cloud-based apps. Microsoft and the European Commission have not yet commented on the investigation.

As Microsoft unbundles Teams, it might not have the impact on Slack you think

TechCrunch · 1y ago

As Microsoft unbundles Teams, it might not have the impact on Slack you think

Microsoft has announced that it will unbundle Teams from Office 365 in the future. This move comes after years of complaints from Slack, which accused Microsoft of anti-competitive behavior for bundling Teams with its Office suite. However, analysts believe that the unbundling may not have a significant impact on Slack's market share, as many larger companies have already made their choice in communication and collaboration tools. Microsoft's decision could actually help them gain more customers outside of their existing Office ecosystem. Overall, it seems that Microsoft's bundling strategy has been successful, with over 320 million users worldwide compared to Slack's 32 million.

Microsoft to unbundle Teams from Office in bid to allay EU antitrust concerns

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Microsoft to unbundle Teams from Office in bid to allay EU antitrust concerns

Microsoft will separate its Teams chat and video app from its Office product to address concerns of anti-competitive behavior and avoid potential EU antitrust fines. The move follows a European Commission investigation prompted by a complaint from Slack in 2020. The changes will allow customers to choose a business suite without Teams and enhance interoperability with rival communication solutions. Teams will be offered at a lower price to enterprise customers in Europe, and Microsoft will develop a method for hosting Office web applications within competing apps and services. The changes will be effective from October 1st in Europe and Switzerland.

EU Commission's use of Microsoft software breached privacy rules: watchdog

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

EU Commission's use of Microsoft software breached privacy rules: watchdog

The European Commission has been found to have breached EU privacy rules by using Microsoft software and failing to implement adequate safeguards for personal data transferred to non-EU countries, according to the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). The watchdog has ordered the Commission to comply with privacy rules and halt data transfers to Microsoft and its subsidiaries in countries without privacy agreements with the EU. The decision comes after a three-year investigation sparked by concerns over the transfer of personal data to the US following revelations in 2013 of mass US surveillance. The Commission must now take measures to ensure data protection compliance and review its use of Microsoft 365.

Big Tech's acquihire deals face regulatory scrutiny, outgoing EU antitrust official says - The Economic Times

Economic Times

Economic Times · 7d ago

Big Tech's acquihire deals face regulatory scrutiny, outgoing EU antitrust official says - The Economic Times

The European Union is planning stricter regulations for Big Tech's "acquihire" deals, where tech giants hire talent from startups. These practices are seen as ways to bypass antitrust rules. Outgoing EU antitrust head Olivier Guersent encourages national agencies to investigate such deals. The EU is using call-in provisions for better scrutiny. Acquihires can be seen as mergers, impacting effective competition, prompting the EU to push national regulators for proactive measures.

South Africa to investigate Microsoft over cloud computing licensing practices

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

South Africa to investigate Microsoft over cloud computing licensing practices

The South African antitrust agency plans to investigate Microsoft over its cloud computing licensing practices, following a similar case in the European Union. Although Microsoft stated that it is unaware of any complaint filed by the South African competition authority, the source suggests that the investigation will resemble that of the EU antitrust case. This comes after rivals in several European countries, including Germany and France, raised concerns about Microsoft's new contractual terms.

Google limits on access to Android Auto may breach EU rules, court adviser says

Economic Times

Economic Times · 11m ago

Google limits on access to Android Auto may breach EU rules, court adviser says

An adviser to the European Court of Justice has stated that Google's refusal to allow an e-mobility app developed by Enel access to its Android Auto platform could potentially violate competition rules. The adviser's stance supports the viewpoint of Italy's antitrust authority, which fined Google €102 million ($113.18 million) for allegedly favoring Google Maps while blocking Enel's JuicePass on Android Auto. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is expected to rule on the case in the coming months.

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