Agreement brings more opportunities for software maker
MICROSOFT and Kaspersky Lab have settled a dispute that led to antitrust complaints in Europe and an investigation in Russia.
As part of the agreement, Microsoft will make changes to the next update of Windows this autumn.
The settlement comes two months after Kaspersky, a maker of anti-virus software, complained to European antitrust regulators that Microsoft was favouring its own security software, disadvantaging other providers.
Microsoft will give anti-virus partners greater visibility when new versions of Windows will be released and let them use their own alerts and notifications to tell customers to renew products, the Redmond, Washington-based company said in a blog post. Windows will also change how it notifies users of expirations, moving from an alert that could be ignored to one that persists until the user takes action.
The changes will affect Windows updates released globally.
“We appreciate the feedback and continued dialogue with our partners, and are pleased to have found common ground with Kaspersky Lab on the complaints raised in Russia and Europe,” Rob Lefferts, partner director, Windows Enterprise and Security, said.
Kaspersky had told regulators in Europe and Russia that Microsoft was preventing anti-virus software makers from competing on an equal footing with Microsoft’s products.
It claimed Microsoft was not giving them enough time to adapt their products to Windows updates and hindered the ability to download or renew third-party security programs.
The formal complaint to EU and German antitrust regulators in June, said “hurdles” created by Microsoft limit consumer choice and drive up the costs.
Russia’s Federal Anti-monopoly Service (FAS) said in November 2016 that it had opened a case against Microsoft over an alleged abuse of market dominance.
Deadlines
The inquiry began after Moscow-based Kaspersky complained that Microsoft reduced deadlines for anti-virus makers to adjust to its software.
“Kaspersky Lab confirms that all of its concerns regarding the unfair competition law, raised with the Federal Anti-monopoly Service of Russia, have been addressed,” the company said.
“The company is satisfied with the proposed approach by Microsoft to address the warnings issued by the FAS, and its implementation road map.
“Kaspersky Lab is also taking necessary steps to withdraw its filings to the European Commission and to Germany’s Federal Cartel Office, stating that it has no more claims for Microsoft to address,” it said. – Bloomberg
The ‘hurdles’ created by Microsoft limited consumer choice and drove up the costs.