Opera: Microsoft hasn't gone far enough

 

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By Reuters

Posted on 12 Jun 2009 at 17:31

Norwegian browser maker Opera says that Microsoft's plan to ship Windows in Europe without Internet Explorer doesn't go far enough.

"I don't think what Microsoft announced is going to restore competition," says Opera's chief technology officer Hakon Wium Lie. "I don't think its going to be enough, I don't think it will get them off the hook."

Shares in Opera leapt more than 6% to a three-year high on the news of Microsoft's plans and expectations for an upcoming announcement from the company.

Microsoft's abrupt reversal comes shortly before the European Commission is due to rule on antitrust charges brought against the company in January, claiming that it abuses its dominant position by bundling Internet Explorer, shielding it from head-to-head competition with rival products.

Until now, Microsoft has claimed that the browser was an integral part of the operating system and should not be pulled out, but it now plans to do that for a European version of Windows 7, due to be rolled out in October.

A European Commission official says the EU watchdog will examine the conditions under which Microsoft will ship Windows 7 without browsers to manufacturers and suppliers, warning that the Commission will find out if there are any conditions attached.

"We never suggested that it has to sell Windows without Internet Explorer. We suggested that it might have to give the possibility to customers to chose between different browsers," the official says.

The official added that it was in Microsoft's interest to inform the Commission of any conditions attached to the rollout.

The Commission, which enforces competition rules in the 27-nation European Union, says it plans to decide shortly on its latest case against the US tech giant.

It has to date fined Microsoft nearly $2 billion for various offences. The Commission can impose a fine of up to 10% of a company's turnover and other remedies if found to have breached EU rules.

Last month, it slapped a record $1.49 billion fine on the world's biggest chipmaker Intel for anti-competitive practices.