
- Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) launched a new initiative to better assist European cloud companies hosting Microsoft products like Windows and Office 365 apps after facing flak, Bloomberg reports.
- Microsoft will also provide greater licensing flexibility for customers.
- Microsoft faced a formal inquiry from the European Commission into its alleged antitrust practices.
- The commission inquired from rival cloud services after an antitrust complaint from France’s OVH.
- The complaint claimed Microsoft’s software licensing terms put them at a disadvantage for running Microsoft products and make it easier or cheaper to pair things like Windows, Office, and Windows Server with Microsoft’s Azure cloud.
- Microsoft President Brad Smith acknowledged that some of the claims could be true, but not all are valid. He added that Microsoft has the responsibility to do more.
- Price Action: MSFT shares traded higher by 1.82% at $266.27 in the premarket on the last check Wednesday.