Microsoft faces wide-ranging US antitrust probe By Reuters

(Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Commerce Charge has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft (NASDAQ:), along with of its software program program licensing and cloud computing corporations, a provide conversant within the matter acknowledged on Wednesday.

The probe was approved by FTC Chair Lina Khan ahead of her seemingly departure in January. The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president and the expectation he’ll appoint a fellow Republican with a softer technique in the direction of enterprise, leaves the results of the investigation up throughout the air.

The FTC is inspecting allegations that the software program program large is doubtlessly abusing its market vitality in productiveness software program program by imposing punitive licensing phrases to forestall prospects from shifting their data from its Azure cloud service to totally different aggressive platforms, sources confirmed earlier this month.

The FTC may also be practices related to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence merchandise, the provision acknowledged on Wednesday.

Microsoft declined to the touch upon Wednesday.

The FTC fielded complaints about Microsoft closing yr as a result of it examined the cloud computing market.

NetChoice, a lobbying group that represents on-line companies along with Amazon (NASDAQ:) and Google (NASDAQ:), which compete with Microsoft in cloud computing, criticized Microsoft’s licensing insurance coverage insurance policies, and its integration of AI devices into its Office and Outlook.

“Supplied that Microsoft is the world’s largest software program program agency, dominating in productiveness and dealing strategies software program program, the scale and penalties of its licensing decisions are extraordinary,” the group acknowledged.

The FTC didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. The FTC has demanded a broad differ of detailed data from Microsoft, Bloomberg reported earlier on Wednesday.