Microsoft to comply with Brussels over browser choice gaffe
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Microsoft has reportedly agreed to comply with any sanctions laid down by competition officials in Brussels, who are currently probing the software giant's allegedly mistaken banishment of a "browser choice" screen, which would have allowed European customers to pick which browser they wanted to run on their Windows-based machines.
The EU's competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia told Reuters at an economic conference in Italy that he had met with Redmond's boss to discuss the issue, which MS labelled as a "technical error" that it had failed to spot for 17 months.
"In my personal talks with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer he has given me assurances that they will comply immediately regardless of the conclusion of the antitrust probe," said Almunia, who added that Ballmer had agreed that the apparent cockup was a "very, very serious issue."
In July this year, the EC opened a fresh investigation into Microsoft's practice of using its Windows operating system to push people into using its Internet Explorer browser, following allegations of non-compliance with an EC settlement deal the software giant agreed to in late 2009.
Under that legally binding agreement, Microsoft was supposed to display a choice screen to its European Windows customers allowing them to pick between IE, Firefox, Chrome and other browsers on the market until 2014.
However, in February 2011 – when Microsoft issued a first service pack for its Windows 7 operating system – the choice screen had vanished. Redmond, however, said it had only recently discovered - courtesy of the European Commission - that it had stopped offering European punters a selection of browsers.
Microsoft recently began offering the browser choice screen to users of Windows in the EU's 27 member-states once again. The settlement deal with Brussels remains in force.
It's not yet clear what punishment Almunia will dish out to Microsoft, but he has previously indicated "severe consequences" if a breach is confirmed by competition officials. ®
COMMENTS
Re: I still don't get why this only appies to MS
MS were found to have a monopoly in the PC market for operating systems and were found to be abusing there monopoly position in the operating system market to try and get a monopoly in the browser market. Apple has never had been judged to have a monopoly in any market. Which ofc it doesnt in desktop or laptop computer systems. Again in the mobile phone sector there is plenty of choice and apple are not in a monopoly position there. Tablets is an area which apple might find itself in a monopoly position as ipad is still the biggest selling tablet although with others catching up now somewhat that will start to change hopefully.
Re: I still don't get why this only appies to MS
"Why doesn't Apple have to provide choice too,"
Because apple users (careful not to call them owners,because they aren’t owners) are used to apple telling them what they need and don’t feel the need to complain about it.
I just dare a apple user to go ask this on the official apple forums. see how long it takes for the post to be deleted and for them to be punished for questioning the great turtle-neck in the sky... you can't stand out or be individual...
Oh FFS Microsoft
How many times can MS get away with 'forgetting'?
They're laughing in the face of the EC.
Being on the receiving end of the EC's biggest fine ever, didn't seem to concern them.
I believe it's about time the EC said enough is enough and start to dictate to MS what it must do if it wants to sell its products in the EU. The EU is a big market for them and they need the profits. The EC is in a strong position and should exploit it for the benefit of all EU citizens.
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