This abuse of dominant position strongly dislike in Brussels

Five years after being convicted by the European Commission to 497 million euro fine for having tied the sale of its multimedia software Media Player into its Windows operating system, Microsoft is trying to avoid a new sanction for the same reasons with its browser Internet Explorer (IE). Thursday, the information "cnet news" Web site was the first to reveal that the number one world of software had decided that its next operating system, Windows 7 whose marketing must begin on October 22 will be delivered in Europe without "IE". The firm of Steve Ballmer stated in a confidential memo where you can read that "Microsoft will offer IE8 separately for Windows and free of charge, PC manufacturers also have the possibility of the preinstall easily either to choose one or more browsers if they wish."

But Friday, Brussels has again to Microsoft to give the 95 of those who buy a PC with pre-installed Windows and 5 who purchase only a choice between several browsers operating system, but "not Windows is provided without any browser". For Microsoft, a multiple choice comes up against practical difficulties: how, for example, decide how much and what browsers would be proposed and for how long "Given the complexity of the solution advocated by the Commission and the interests at stake, we believe that adopting such an approach of unilaterally would not be the best way for us," explained Dave Heiner, Vice President and "deputy general counsel" of Microsoft, on the official blog of the group.

"Unfair" practice

The European Commission expected to actually see if customers will really have the choice in the stores. Until now, Windows which team some 90 of the PC in the world systematically incorporates Internet Explorer. This "abuse of dominant position" strongly dislike in Brussels. On January 15, the Commission European made its objections to Microsoft by providing "proof that the tied sale, Microsoft, Internet Explorer with Windows prejudice to competition among Web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately limit consumer choice."

This "unfair" practice is perpetuated since 1996, IE today with 65.5 of browser market share. And over the first of the 1990s to be ousted, browsers Netscape, taken since by AOL, then current competitors: Firefox from Mozilla, Apple's Safari, Google Chrome's Foundation or even Opera of the eponymous Norwegian publisher (see chart below). The US group co-founded by Bill Gates likely to see a new fine up to 10 of its turnover. The Redmond giant, which will complete June 30 its annual exercise with a turnover of about $ 60 billion, large risk.

To avoid burdening the already salty note with its "Media Player case" (the amount of the fine had been appealed to 1.6 billion euros in September 2007 and lack of cooperation), Microsoft now wants to show white paw. As the European Commissioner for competition, Neelie Kroes, also leads since last year another inquiry on the sale of the suite Office Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint...). According to our information, it is "less advanced" but she "continues".