Microsoft offers to charge for Teams to address EU antitrust concerns

Microsoft has provided to cost completely different costs for its Office product with and with out its Teams app to stave off a attainable EU antitrust investigation and advantageous, two individuals conversant in the matter stated.

Microsoft has been in search of to handle the EU competitors enforcer’s considerations since final yr after Salesforce-owned workspace messaging app Slack complained to the European Commission, different individuals conversant in the matter instructed Reuters in December.

Slack in 2020 alleged that Microsoft has unfairly built-in its office chat and video app Teams into its Office product. The US tech big launched Teams in 2017 focusing on the fast-growing and profitable office collaboration market.

The European Commission on Thursday stated there have been different complainants apart from Slack.

“We have received several complaints regarding Microsoft, including by Slack, regarding Microsoft’s conduct in relation to its Teams product. As you know the assessment is ongoing so we cannot comment further,” a spokesperson stated.

Microsoft stated it continued to have interaction cooperatively with the Commission and was “open to pragmatic solutions that address its concerns and serve customers well”.

Salesforce declined to remark.The EU antitrust watchdog is in search of suggestions from Microsoft rivals on its proposal, the individuals stated.

In the final decade, the European Commission fined Microsoft 2.2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) for practices in breach of EU competitors guidelines, together with tying or bundling two or extra merchandise collectively.

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