Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to head off an EU antitrust investigation, even offering to charge for its Teams app.
Microsoft is under pressure in the EU over bundling Teams with Office. Slack filed a complaint with the EU, saying Microsoft’s action unfairly hurt it. In some ways, Slack’s position is similar to Netscape’s decades ago, when the browser was hurt by Microsoft bundling Internet Explorer with Windows.
Microsoft has already reportedly agreed to stop bundling Teams with Office, but according to Reuters, the company is now offering to charge two different prices for Office — one price or Office without Teams and a higher price for Office with Teams bundled.
It’s unclear if Microsoft’s efforts will be successful in warding off a full-blown investigation and possible fine, but it appears Slack is not the only company that has complained to the EU.
“We have received several complaints regarding Microsoft, including by Slack, regarding Microsoft’s conduct in relation to its Teams product. As you know the assessment is ongoing so we cannot comment further,” a spokesperson told Reuters.
