Microsoft Is Facing an Antitrust Probe by the EU

Microsoft is facing an antitrust probe by the EU for the team's platform after Google

According to POLITICO, Microsoft is facing an antitrust probe by the EU for the team's platform. Microsoft is facing an antitrust probe by the EU (European Union) after its cloud-based video calling and communication service Microsoft Teams was accused of illegally leveraging its market dominance.

Slack, a communications app, filed a complaint with the EU's antitrust body in 2020, requesting that Microsoft unbundle Microsoft Teams and other software from its widely used Office suite.

Microsoft Teams, which was launched as a free service in 2016, includes several features such as instant messaging, audio and video conferencing, document collaboration, and file sharing. It also integrates with other Microsoft Office applications like Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, making it simple to collaborate on projects in real time. Furthermore, Teams support customization, with the ability to add apps and integrations to meet specific needs. However, the platform has been accused of unfairly pushing out competitors by abusing its market dominance.

The Commission is currently investigating whether Microsoft used its dominant position to prevent other companies from competing with Teams. The European Commission is also investigating whether Microsoft has unfairly denied customers access to competing services.

Slack claimed that Microsoft is abusing its market power by offering services at extremely low, or even zero prices while preventing competitors from competing with their offerings. They also claim that Microsoft is using its market power to limit rival services' ability to offer competing services and products.

The case against Microsoft is part of the European Commission's larger effort to address issues concerning digital platforms and competition. Google is also being investigated by the Commission for alleged market power abuse.

Whatever the outcome of the case, it is clear that the European Commission is becoming more aggressive in its approach to digital platforms and competition. This could mean that companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple will soon face even more scrutiny for how they use their market power.

Microsoft is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the European Union's antitrust authority and the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over its US$68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. It is arguably one of the largest gaming transactions in history. Activision Blizzard is well-known for publishing and developing popular video game franchises such as Crash Bandicoot, Call of Duty, Spyro the Dragon, Diablo, and World of Warcraft. They also own King, the maker of the popular mobile game Candy Crush Saga. The company's game portfolio is available on a variety of platforms, including PC, consoles, and mobile devices.