The European Union fined Microsoft 561 million euros ($731 million) yesterday for failing to offer users a choice of Web browser, an unprecedented sanction that will act as a warning to other firms involved in EU antitrust disputes.
A probe found Microsoft had failed to ensure that consumers had a choice of how they access the Internet, rather than defaulting to Microsoft’s Explorer.
In software issued between May 2011 and July 2012, 15 million users were not given a choice, the EU said.