EU expands probe of Microsoft to software licenses
Reuters | at | by Mike
The European Commission widened its probe into Microsoft for anticompetitive practices on Thursday, asking computer hardware makers for details of their licensing deals with the software giant. Lueder stressed that launching the probe did not imply Microsoft was guilty of any offences and that the investigation was at a fact-finding stage. Lueder said the licensing investigation was separate.
"Software licensing is totally different... (the investigations) have nothing to do with each other," he said.
A total of 20 firms had been contacted by the Commission, including IBM, Hitachi and Toshiba, the newspaper said.