Microsoft to face EU antitrust probe over 2020 Slack complaint: Report

Microsoft offered to create a cheaper version of Office 365 without Teams but the antitrust watchdog reportedly wants a deeper cut in the price than what Microsoft is offering. (Image: Unsplash)

Microsoft will reportedly face an EU anti-trust investigation prompted by a complaint from Salesforce-owned Slack in 2020.

The complaint stems from Microsoft adding Teams to Office 365 for free in 2017. Slack has alleged that Microsoft has bundled Teams into its Office 365 service unfairly, according to a Reuters report.

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Slack, a popular workplace collaboration app, is accusing Microsoft of illegally abusing its market power by tying its competing collaboration app, Teams, to a popular enterprise suite.

In a statement given to Financial Times in 2020, Slack said that Microsoft, "illegally tied its Teams product into its market-dominant Office productivity suite, force installing it for millions, blocking its removal, and hiding the true cost to enterprise customers".

Microsoft offered to create a cheaper version of Office 365 without Teams but the antitrust watchdog reportedly wants a deeper cut in the price than what Microsoft is offering.

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The EU is keen on a wider price differentiation between the two versions of the enterprise suite, Office 365 with Teams, and one without to try and ensure a level playing field.

"We continue to engage cooperatively with the Commission in its investigation and are open to pragmatic solutions that address its concerns and serve customers well," a Microsoft spokesperson told Reuters.