Microsoft charged with EU antitrust violations for bundling Teams
What specific charges has the EU levied against Microsoft?
The EU has charged Microsoft with antitrust violations for illegally bundling its Teams chat app with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions6. The European Commission believes this may give Teams an unfair advantage over competitors and has provided Microsoft with a statement of objections, listing their concerns over the bundling.
Why has Microsoft been charged by the EU after 15 years?
Microsoft has been charged by the EU for illegally bundling its Teams chat app with its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions, giving it an unfair advantage over competitors56. This is the first time Microsoft has been charged with antitrust violations in the EU in 15 years, following previous cases related to Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer bundling2.
What advantage is Microsoft accused of giving Teams by the EU?
The European Union (EU) accuses Microsoft of giving its Teams app an unfair distribution advantage by bundling it with popular productivity apps, including Office 365 and Microsoft 365, which restricts competition on the market for communication and collaboration products. The EU believes this may have prevented rivals from competing and innovating, thereby disadvantaging customers in the European Economic Area.