Europe vs. Microsoft: in antitrust we trust
The European Commission and Microsoft have been tangled in a long and drawn out legal battle that has now spanned almost 20 years. The EC reacted to accusations that the software giant was using its position as market leader to stifle competition by leveraging a $1.1 billion fine on the company. In a related case it also ruled that Microsoft should include a "browser ballot" with its operating systems. Now, a new dispute appears to be brewing, once again hinging on browser choice in Microsoft's OSes. The Redmond-based company failed to include the required ballot screen with its Windows 7 Service Pack 1 update, and has also drawn criticism for preventing browser choice with its upcoming ARM-based operating system, Windows RT.
Google and Opera behind Microsoft's $730-million EU antitrust fine, says FT
A report from the Financial Times claims that Google and Opera "informally provided the tip-off" that led to the EU fining Microsoft over $730 million yesterday. The fine was levied because Microsoft failed to include a "browser ballot" screen that let European users choose what browser to use when setting up their Windows PC. The Financial Times cites "several people familiar with the case" as confirming that Microsoft's browser-making rivals were behind the tip, and claims that both...
EU fines Microsoft $730 million for failing to include browser ballot in Windows 7 SP1
Nearly 20 years later, the decision to bundle a web browser with Windows is still giving Microsoft grief. Today, the European Union has decided to fine the company €561 million (around $732 million) for breaking a 2009 antitrust agreement. At the time, Microsoft agreed to include a browser ballot box in every new copy of Windows, allowing users to pick any one of the 12 most popular browsers rather than defaulting to Microsoft Internet Explorer. However, in what Microsoft called a...
Reuters: Microsoft likely to be fined in Europe over antitrust concerns
European regulators are likely to hit Microsoft with a fine by the end of March, according to a Reuters report published today. Citing two individuals familiar with the case, Reuters says the financial punishment will come a result of antitrust violations. The specific charges are unclear, but in October of last year the European Commission accused Microsoft of failing to provide users with a choice of browsers following the release of Windows 7 Service Pack 1. At the time, Microsoft insisted...
EU finds that Microsoft has failed to comply with its browser choice commitments
A "technical error" that prevented 28 million PCs running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 from seeing a browser choice screen could result in charges for Microsoft, EU regulators revealed today. The European Commission says that it takes a preliminary view "that Microsoft has failed to roll out the browser choice screen with its Windows 7 Service Pack 1."
Microsoft admitted to a "technical error" earlier this year after the European Commission announced its plans to investigate how millions of PCs...
EU prepares to charge Microsoft over 'technical error' with Windows 7 browser choice
European Union (EU) regulators are set to charge Microsoft for breaching the terms of a landmark 2009 antitrust settlement by failing to provide a clear choice of web browsers in Windows 7 Service Pack 1, according to a report from Reuters. The issue first emerged back in July, when the European Commission (EC) — the EU's executive body — formally announced its intentions to open proceedings against the company. Microsoft admitted the "technical error" the same day, emphasizing that it...
Apps & Software
European Commission confirms probe of alleged Windows RT browser exclusion, details more complaints
A spokesman for the European Commission's antitrust agency has confirmed that the Commission is investigating browser choice issues on Windows RT and detailed more possible charges. Antoine Colombani told Computerworld that "we will indeed look at these allegations made by third parties in the context of the investigation opened yesterday on Microsoft's compliance with our December 2009 decision." These allegations were primarily made by Mozilla, which has complained that Microsoft's...
Web & Social
EU investigating Windows RT for allegedly blocking browser choice
Yesterday the European Commission revealed that it was going to be investigating whether Microsoft had properly complied with a 2009 commitment to allow users to choose their default web browsers in Windows — and now eyes are turning towards Windows RT as well. Reuters is reporting that the EU will be looking into the tablet-focused version of Microsoft's upcoming operating system, and the decision to make Internet Explorer 10 the only available browser in the Metro environment. Mozilla...
Microsoft
Microsoft admits to 'technical error' with browser choice screen, offers to extend compliance period
Microsoft admitted today that a "technical error" had prevented 28 million PCs running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 from seeing a browser choice screen. The screen, added to Windows after the company was found to have abused its dominance in the market with Internet Explorer, is designed to offer Windows users a choice of alternative web browsers. The European Commission said earlier today that Microsoft had failed to comply with its 2009 browser choice commitment and a company spokesperson has...
Microsoft
EC investigating Microsoft's lack of compliance with browser choice commitment
The European Commission revealed today that it plans to open proceedings against Microsoft to investigate whether the software giant has failed to comply with a 2009 browser choice commitment. Microsoft was forced to implement a browser ballot box in its Windows operating system to ensure users were presented with a choice of web browsers. The ruling followed the result of a European Union competition case that found Microsoft had abused its dominance in the market with Internet Explorer.
The...
Policy & Law
EU rejects Microsoft's appeal against billion-dollar antitrust fine, reduces it by $48 million
The General Court of the European Union, the second-highest court in Europe, has rejected Microsoft's appeal against an antitrust ruling over the company's licensing practices. Four years ago, Microsoft was fined €899 million ($1.44 billion) for failing to comply with an antitrust decision in 2004. The European Commission ordered Microsoft to pay the fine alongside changes to its versions of Windows involving a removal of the Windows Media Player.
In a ruling today, the General Court of the...
Microsoft
Windows RT browser exclusion draws attention from European, US regulators
The European Commission this week announced that it will be keeping a close eye on Microsoft's Windows RT operating system, in response to Mozilla's complaint that the forthcoming platform excludes third-party browsers. At issue is a 2009 antitrust decision that requires Microsoft to provide links to other browsers from within a Windows ballot display. According to Mozilla, though, only Internet Explorer can run in the Classic environment on RT, suggesting that Microsoft's ARM variant of...
