Product details

The case deals with the allegations that Microsoft had abused its market leadership status by using its dominant position in the Windows operating system (OS) to gain market share in the work group server OS business. In 1998, Sun Microsystems lodged a complaint with the European Commission (EC) that Microsoft was not disclosing the necessary information for facilitating interoperability between PCs using Windows operating system and servers using non-Microsoft operating systems. After conducting an investigation on this issue, the EC also claimed that Microsoft had been tying its Windows Media Player (WMP) to its Windows OS affecting the rival media players. After investigating for more than five years, the EC found Microsoft guilty and levied a historic fine of US$613 million and suggested remedies for the company's products. Microsoft further appealed this ruling in the European Court of First Instance which heard the case between 24-28 of April 2006 and would give its ruling in the first quarter of 2007. The case puts forth some of the arguments of Microsoft and the EC during the hearing and analysts views on this issue.