Microsoft fined by European Commission over web browser

[Jazzy]

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.

Full article



That's quite a costly technical error.

 

[Evil Eye]

A very sneaky update.

Or not, if it really was an error...



In any case, I doubt it'll happen again