Microsoft, et al

[Alfonso Jones]

From the Wall Street Journal:

BOWING TO BRUSSELS: Microsoft Corp. will need to tread warily in Europe when it bundles products or features into its core operating system and will need to welcome competitors when they seek ways to make their software work better with Windows following the U.S. software giant's decision Monday to drop its nine-year fight with European regulators.

The move could also signal tougher regulation ahead for global technology companies operating in Europe, as Charles Forelle reports. Microsoft's decision leaves standing as settled law a ruling by a top European Union court last month that backed sweeping powers for EU antitrust regulators to tackle abuse of monopoly position by technology companies.

Among other big U.S. technology companies that EU regulators have in their sights is chip-making giant Intel Corp., accused of selling computer microprocessors below cost and using rebates and other payments to induce customers not to buy chips from its smaller rival, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Google Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Internet-advertising company DoubleClick Inc. also is being scrutinized. EU regulators still have to deal with other complaints against Microsoft, including one from a consortium backed by International Business Machines Corp. that challenges the dominance of Microsoft's Office software.

Alfonso