- Microsoft has decided to separate its Teams chat and video app from its Office suite globally, following antitrust pressure and to provide customers with more purchasing flexibility.
- The move comes after a European Commission investigation initiated due to complaints from competitors like Slack, alleging unfair advantage through bundling.
- Despite efforts to address concerns, Microsoft may still face potential fines, with past fines amounting to billions in EU antitrust charges.
Microsoft is unbundling its Teams app from the Office suite worldwide, responding to antitrust concerns and aiming to offer customers more options. This decision follows a similar move made in Europe six months ago, prompted by a European Commission investigation into complaints from rivals like Slack. Critics argued that Microsoft’s bundling strategy with Office gave it an unfair market advantage. The tech giant’s decision to separate the two products globally is seen as an attempt to address these concerns and provide multinational companies with greater purchasing flexibility.
Despite Microsoft’s efforts, it may still face potential fines from the European Union, with past fines already totaling billions of euros. Rivals continue to criticize Microsoft’s practices, raising concerns about compatibility and pricing. The company now offers standalone Teams options alongside new commercial Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites, allowing customers to choose according to their needs. However, the ultimate impact of these measures on Microsoft’s antitrust issues remains to be seen, as regulatory scrutiny in the tech industry continues to intensify.
