Microsoft to Separate Teams from Office Package to Avoid Antitrust Investigation
Microsoft plans to separate the Teams video conferencing and messaging software from its in-house Office package to avoid an antitrust investigation by the European Commission. The move is a response to complaints from competitor Slack, which considers the integration of Teams into Microsoft 365 services to be inadmissible. The European Commission has received several such complaints, and an evaluation is still ongoing.
Future Microsoft Office buyers will be able to decide whether Teams should be included and prices will be adjusted accordingly. Having failed to provide Windows users with a free choice of internet browsers, Microsoft was fined half a billion euros in 2013. Since then, the company has tried to avoid legal battles and the Teams plan is part of its strategy.
Slack’s Complaint and Change of Mind
Slack contacted the European Commission in the summer of 2020 and claimed that Microsoft was acting “illegally and anti-competitively” by including Teams in the Office package. Millions of customers have been forced to install the software, and deinstallation is prevented. This hides the true costs. Previously, Slack had made fun of Teams, but the coronavirus pandemic and the massive switch to working from home changed its opinion. Video conferencing software providers, in particular, have benefited from this, including Slack and Microsoft with Teams.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s decision to separate Teams from its Office package shows its effort to avoid antitrust investigations and prevent further legal battles. The move will also allow Office buyers to decide whether they want Teams included in their package. Slack’s complaint has played a significant role in Microsoft’s decision but with video conferencing software providers benefiting significantly from the pandemic and remote working, Teams remains in demand.
