Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

[A1Kaid]

Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser



6 March 2013 Last updated at 07:02 ET



Microsoft has been fined 561 million euros ($731m; £484m) for failing to promote a range of web browsers, rather than just Internet Explorer, to users in the European Union (EU).

It introduced a Browser Choice Screen pop-up in March 2010 as part of a settlement following an earlier EU competition investigation.

But the US company dropped the feature in a Windows 7 update in February 2011.

Microsoft said the omission had been the result of a "technical error".

But competition commissioner Joaquin Almunia said the action was unprecedented, adding he wanted to deter any company from the "temptation" of reneging on such a promise.

In theory the watchdog could have fined the firm 10% of its global annual revenue, which would have totalled $7.4bn based on its 2012 report.

"We take full responsibility for the technical error that caused this problem and have apologised for it," a spokesman for Microsoft said following the announcement.

Read the whole article at link below.

Excerpt: BBC News - Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

 

[Guynextdoor2]

yeah right...the day I see Microsoft lose $500M on an unintentional TECHNICAL ERROR will be the day. they probably got 2 billion so 500 million going still leaves a profit....