Microsoft Will Lower Price of Office 365 Without Teams Platform, Avoiding EU Antitrust Fine

Microsoft has announced that it will offer a lower-priced version of its Office 365 productivity suite, excluding the Teams platform. This move comes as a response to a complaint filed by Slack in 2020, which accused Microsoft of being anticompetitive by bundling Teams with the Office suite. The decision to unbundle Teams from the Office 365 package is seen as a strategy to avoid potential antitrust fines from the European Union. By offering a more affordable version of Office 365 without the Teams platform, Microsoft aims to address the concerns raised by Slack and maintain compliance with EU regulations. This change is expected to provide customers with more flexibility in choosing the productivity tools that best suit their needs, without being required to purchase the Teams platform if they do not need it. The move reflects Microsoft's efforts to adapt to the evolving market and address potential antitrust issues, ensuring that its business practices remain competitive and compliant.