UK CMA proposes strategic market status for Microsoft business software

Britain's CMA proposed designating Microsoft with "strategic market status" in business software and opened a probe into how it bundles Excel, Teams and Copilot. A final decision is due by February; Microsoft disputes the findings.

• CMA will examine whether customers can freely choose AI tools over Copilot
• Probe covers bundling of security products and licensing effects on cloud choice
• Microsoft would be the third firm under UK digital market powers after Google and Apple
• CMA also urged AWS and Microsoft to remove remaining barriers to switching cloud providers