Microsoft Stops Selling Windows XP to Tout Vista? Taiwan Is Probing into It.

Taiwan’s non-profit Consumer Foundation files a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to assert that Microsoft takes advantage of its monopoly position to halt sales of its popular operating system, XP and coerce consumers into switching to XP’s successor, Vista, for which the FTC had launched an investigation in August 2008.

The Consumer Foundation conducted an online survey in July 2008, finding that more than 50% of the surveyed respondents prefer XP to Vista.  In its complaint, the Foundation indicated that Microsoft’s scheduled discontinuity of XP sales is to abuse its overwhelming 98% market share in Taiwan to force consumers to purchase Vista, a move that leaves most users with little choice. 

In response, the FTC had launched an investigation to see if Microsoft’s promotion of Vista by pulling XP from Taiwan market constitutes a practice that impairs trading order and if such a push to sell Vista is reasonable and if Microsoft abuses it dominant market position, but the FTC will respect Microsoft’s management autonomy.  If the accusation against the software giant is upheld, Microsoft could face a maximum fine of TWD 1 hundred million.

The FTC has been reviewing and examining the relevant information provided by Microsoft, and the investigation is likely to last for six months the longest, while the FTC representative declines to give a specific timeframe. (2008.8)
/CCS