12-15-2021 , 09:39 AM
https://news.softpedia.com/news/vivaldi-...4506.shtml Vivaldi: Microsoft Is Desperate to Prevent Users from Installing Other Browsers
“Microsoft’s moves seem desperate,” Vivaldi CEO says
Dec 13, 2021 16:54 GMT · By Bogdan Popa Microsoft Edge is Microsoft’s big bet in the browser market, as the transition from EdgeHTML to Chromium allowed the company to make it a cross-platform offering and therefore tackle more platforms at the same time.
Microsoft, on the other hand, has turned to debatable tactics in its attempt to convince users to stick with its new browser, and unsurprisingly, these aren’t received very well by competitors.
The CEO of Vivaldi, Jon von Tetzchner, says Microsoft seems desperate in its struggle to prevent users from installing other browsers.
“Microsoft’s moves seem desperate. And familiar. It is clear they don’t want you to use other browsers. They even offer to pay you to use the browser via their Microsoft Rewards program. This is not the behavior of a confident company developing a superior browser. It’s the behavior of a company openly abusing its powerful position to push people to use its inferior product, simply because it can. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Can you say monopoly?” he writes.
Microsoft tight-lipped on all the claims
In an analysis of Microsoft’s strategy of keeping users onboard, von Tetzchner emphasizes Microsoft’s trying to “take down the competition” using a strategy that’s not exactly the right way to go.
“At the moment, the US DOJ and the EU are quite focused on Google, Apple and Facebook. And for good reason. It is important, however, not to forget Microsoft. While the focus is elsewhere, they are busy leveraging this opportunity to make it hard for users to choose other browsers on Microsoft operating systems, which continue to dominate the PC market. Apple has a decent share in some countries, and Linux has 2-3%, but Microsoft is very much the dominating player, so the fact that they continue to misuse their position is a concern – and deserves greater scrutiny,” he said.
Vivaldi’s CEO ends his post not only to insist on changing the default browser if that’s what they want but also to reach out to representatives and ask for Microsoft to be investigated for these anti-competitive practices.
Microsoft hasn’t yet replied to these claims, but we reached out to the company and will update the story if an answer is offered.
“Microsoft’s moves seem desperate,” Vivaldi CEO says
Dec 13, 2021 16:54 GMT · By Bogdan Popa Microsoft Edge is Microsoft’s big bet in the browser market, as the transition from EdgeHTML to Chromium allowed the company to make it a cross-platform offering and therefore tackle more platforms at the same time.
Microsoft, on the other hand, has turned to debatable tactics in its attempt to convince users to stick with its new browser, and unsurprisingly, these aren’t received very well by competitors.
The CEO of Vivaldi, Jon von Tetzchner, says Microsoft seems desperate in its struggle to prevent users from installing other browsers.
“Microsoft’s moves seem desperate. And familiar. It is clear they don’t want you to use other browsers. They even offer to pay you to use the browser via their Microsoft Rewards program. This is not the behavior of a confident company developing a superior browser. It’s the behavior of a company openly abusing its powerful position to push people to use its inferior product, simply because it can. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Can you say monopoly?” he writes.
Microsoft tight-lipped on all the claims
In an analysis of Microsoft’s strategy of keeping users onboard, von Tetzchner emphasizes Microsoft’s trying to “take down the competition” using a strategy that’s not exactly the right way to go.
“At the moment, the US DOJ and the EU are quite focused on Google, Apple and Facebook. And for good reason. It is important, however, not to forget Microsoft. While the focus is elsewhere, they are busy leveraging this opportunity to make it hard for users to choose other browsers on Microsoft operating systems, which continue to dominate the PC market. Apple has a decent share in some countries, and Linux has 2-3%, but Microsoft is very much the dominating player, so the fact that they continue to misuse their position is a concern – and deserves greater scrutiny,” he said.
Vivaldi’s CEO ends his post not only to insist on changing the default browser if that’s what they want but also to reach out to representatives and ask for Microsoft to be investigated for these anti-competitive practices.
Microsoft hasn’t yet replied to these claims, but we reached out to the company and will update the story if an answer is offered.