Microsoft Splits Teams and Office Globally
The move came in response to scrutiny from the European Commission, triggered by a complaint from rival Slack in 2020.
Technology titan Microsoft has announced the separation of its Teams business messaging and video apps from its Office software suite.
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Previously, this split was implemented in Europe last year amidst potential penalties from competition regulators. The move came in response to scrutiny from the European Commission, triggered by a complaint from rival Slack in 2020.
According to a Microsoft spokesperson speaking to the BBC, this decision aims to "ensure clarity for our customers" and address feedback from the European Commission. The split is intended to offer multinational companies greater flexibility in their purchasing strategies across different regions.[1]
In a recent blog post, Microsoft revealed that the standalone version of Teams will be available for new customers at $5.25.[2]
Microsoft has a history of facing substantial fines for bundling or tying products together, amounting to billions of euros in the past decade. If found in violation of antitrust regulations, the company could face fines of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
Microsoft's past legal battles include the 1998 case in the US, where it was accused of leveraging its dominance in the Windows platform to suppress competition from rival web browsers.