Microsoft to sell Windows 7 in Europe with no browser, EC upset

Jake Widman
Saturday, 13 June 2009 00:42

IT Industry - Strategy

Earlier this year, the European Commission found that Microsoft's tying of Internet Explorer to Windows inhibited competition in the browser market. The Commission suggested Microsoft provide a choice of browsers; instead, Microsoft has decided to provide no browser at all.

The Commission's finding was reported in a Statement of Objections in January, following an investigation sparked by complaints from browser developer Opera.

In response, in a statement on the Microsoft on the Issues site, company vice president and deputy general counsel Dave Heiner wrote, "We're committed to making Windows 7 available in Europe at the same time that it launches in the rest of the world, but we also must comply with European competition law as we launch the product.

"Given the pending legal proceeding, we've decided that instead of including Internet Explorer in Windows 7 in Europe, we will offer it separately and on an easy-to-install basis to both computer manufacturers and users."

On the one hand, this action would free computer manufacturers to sell Windows 7 systems with Internet Explorer, some other browser, or a selection of browsers, as they saw fit.

For the majority of PC users who will move to Windows 7 as part of their purchase of a new computer, that could prove to be a benefit.

But customers who buy the retail version of Windows 7 to install themselves could find themselves with no browser at all.

For the Commission's reaction, see Page 2.