Microsoft has provided to cost totally different costs for its Workplace product with and with out its Groups app to stave off a attainable EU antitrust investigation and effective, two folks acquainted with the matter mentioned.
Microsoft has been in search of to handle the EU competitors enforcer’s issues since final yr after Salesforce-owned workspace messaging app Slack complained to the European Fee, different folks acquainted with the matter informed Reuters in December.
Slack in 2020 alleged that Microsoft has unfairly built-in its office chat and video app Groups into its Workplace product. The US tech large launched Groups in 2017 focusing on the fast-growing and profitable office collaboration market.
The European Fee on Thursday mentioned there have been different complainants apart from Slack.
“We have now obtained a number of complaints concerning Microsoft, together with by Slack, concerning Microsoft’s conduct in relation to its Groups product. As you recognize the evaluation is ongoing so we can’t remark additional,” a spokesperson mentioned.
Microsoft mentioned it continued to have interaction cooperatively with the Fee and was “open to pragmatic options that handle its issues and serve clients nicely”.
Salesforce declined to remark.
The EU antitrust watchdog is in search of suggestions from Microsoft rivals on its proposal, the folks mentioned.
Within the final decade, the European Fee fined Microsoft EUR 2.2 billion (almost Rs. 19,800 crore) for practices in breach of EU competitors guidelines, together with tying or bundling two or extra merchandise collectively.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
