Microsoft faces U.K. antitrust probe over cloud and software bundling practices

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority launched a six-month investigation into Microsoft's software licensing practices, citing concerns that they have reduced competition in the cloud computing market. Separately, both Microsoft and Amazon agreed to reduce data transfer fees and lower costs for running multi-cloud applications, making it easier for U.K. businesses to switch cloud providers. The probe mirrors similar investigations by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and regulators globally, all focused on whether Microsoft has used its dominance in business software to gain an unfair advantage in cloud and AI markets.