Neowin News Feed for: Cma

UK watchdog wants to know why Microsoft dominates software market

Hamid Ganji — Thu, 14 May 2026 19:14:02 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Microsoft's software business and the possibility of anti-competitive practices. Read more...

UK watchdog to probe Microsoft business software over market dominance concerns

Paul Hill — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:10:02 +0000

Microsoft's grip on the UK business software market is under fire. A new investigation could change how Windows, Teams, and Copilot are licensed and used. Read more...

Google hits back at the CMA's 'strategic market status' ruling

David Uzondu — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 21:16:02 +0000

Earlier today, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) designated Google and Apple as having "strategic market status" in mobile platforms, and Google has now issued a response. Read more...

Getty and Shutterstock hit a roadblock as UK CMA scrutinizes merger

Paul Hill — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:10:01 +0000

The merger between Getty Images and Shutterstock has hit a roadblock after the UK CMA said the merger could significantly harm competition. Read more...

CMA UK panel urges probe into Microsoft and AWS over potential cloud market misuse

Pradeep Viswanathan — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 14:12:01 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recommended a formal investigation into Microsoft and AWS for potential anti-competitive practices. Read more...

Microsoft-OpenAI partnership passes UK regulatory scrutiny

Pradeep Viswanathan — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 17:42:01 +0000

The UK's CMA investigated Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI for potential competition issues but found no grounds for a merger investigation. Read more...

CMA launches investigation into the mobile ecosystems of Apple and Google

Paul Hill — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 13:04:01 +0000

The CMA is doing an investigation into the mobile ecosystems of Apple and Google to see if it can slap the Strategic Market Status on them and regulate them more. Read more...

The UK competition watchdog has just launched another investigation into Google

Paul Hill — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 10:56:01 +0000

The UK's competition watchdog, the CMA, has launched another investigation into Google's search and ad businesses. It'll conclude by October. Read more...

Vodafone and Three are free to merge, says UK competition regulator

Paul Hill — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:48:02 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has given Vodafone and Three the go-ahead to merge after the pair agreed certain commitments. Read more...

Vodafone-Three merger looks more likely than ever after CMA announcement

Paul Hill — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 11:30:01 +0000

The Vodafone-Three merger looks more likely today than ever before after the CMA set out remedies that could address competition concerns. Read more...

Vodafone and Three outline two more merger concessions to ease fears

Paul Hill — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:50:02 +0000

The merger between Vodafone and Three is under the CMA's microscope as the companies promise an £11 billion investment in the UK mobile network and low-cost tariffs. Read more...

CMA raises alarms over Vodafone-Three merger, warns of price hikes for users

Paul Hill — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 15:10:01 +0000

The UK's CMA expresses caution over Vodafone's merger with Three, fearing millions may face higher mobile service costs despite possible network improvements. Read more...

UK's competition regulator OKs Microsoft's Inflection deal

Paul Hill — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:00:01 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has given the go ahead for Microsoft to hire talent from Inflection, an AI startup. It said the move isn't anti-competitive. Read more...

Microsoft slams Apple's 30% App Store fees as uneconomical and unjustified

Paul Hill — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 11:56:01 +0000

Microsoft has heavily criticized Apple and its in-app purchases policy where it takes a 30% cut. Microsoft said it's uneconomical and unjustified. Read more...

CMA UK is investigating Microsoft's deal with AI startup Inflection

Pradeep Viswanathan — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 15:30:01 +0000

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether Microsoft's hiring of Inflection AI employees was a strategic maneuver to avoid scrutiny over a potential acquisition. Read more...

UK anti-competition regulator looking to HPE's acquisition of Juniper Networks

Paul Hill — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:52:01 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Hewlett Packard Enterprise's acquisition of Juniper Networks. It said that phase 1 of the investigation will close in August. Read more...

Microsoft's partnership with AI startup Mistral avoids probe by UK's CMA

Paul Hill — Sat, 18 May 2024 09:46:01 +0000

The CMA is no longer looking into Microsoft's partnership with Mistral AI, where it was given a minority stake. This means the regulator doesn't believe the partnership is a threat to competition. Read more...

Amazon joins Google to complain about Microsoft's restrictive cloud computing practices

Mehrotra A — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 19:18:02 +0000

The CMA has published a letter from Amazon noting that Microsoft's current business practices are impacting the cloud computing industry and is preventing users from switching to rival companies. Read more...

Google asks UK regulators to investigate Microsoft's dominance in the cloud computing market

Mehrotra A — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 04:54:01 +0000

Google has sent a letter to the CMA alleging that Microsoft's business practices in the cloud computing industry are hampering the competition and is preventing users from switching to its rivals. Read more...

Amazon and Meta sign two agreements about advertising data as UK CMA ends investigation

Anushe Fawaz — Fri, 03 Nov 2023 15:36:01 +0000

CMA, the UK watchdog, is closing its investigations against Meta and Amazon about the use of ad data after securing two commitments from the tech giants. These ensure user and seller protection. Read more...

Vodafone-Three merger in the UK has “substantial risk” of negative outcomes

Paul Hill — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 19:10:02 +0000

The consumer group Which? has warned that the Vodafone and Three merger in the UK could lead to higher prices and worse service in the short term. Longer term, it said that customers could benefit. Read more...

UK regulator has finally approved Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition

Omer Dursun — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 06:52:19 +0000

The UK has approved Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. Both companies welcomed the regulator's decision. Microsoft will complete its $68.7 billion purchase of the video game publisher. Read more...

UK CMA decides to investigate Qualcomm's acquisition of Autotalks

Paul Hill — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:58:02 +0000

The UK's competition regulator has launched an investigation into Qualcomm's acquisition of Autotalks. It wants to find out if the deal will hurt competition in the United Kingdom. Read more...

UK competition regulator approves Broadcom's $69 billion purchase of VMware

Paul Hill — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:08:01 +0000

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has ended its investigation into Broadcom's $69 billion acquisition of VMware and published a final report. It has said the acquisition can go ahead. Read more...

UK CMA head says the ball is in Microsoft's court to resolve the Activision Blizzard dispute

John Callaham — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:16:02 +0000

Sarah Cardell, the chief executive at the UK Competition and Markets Authority, said in a new interview that it is still waiting for Microsoft to send it a new Activision Blizzard deal proposal. Read more...

Broadcom's VMware acquisition has been provisionally cleared by CMA

Paul Hill — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 14:32:01 +0000

The UK's CMA has provisionally cleared Broadcom's acquisition of VMware. It will hear feedback from interested parties and give its final decision on the matter by the middle of September. Read more...

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard reportedly still want to merge as the deal's deadline ends

John Callaham — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:00:01 +0000

The official date for the deal for Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard to close has now come and gone, but the two companies reportedly still want to make this purchase happen. Read more...

Microsoft reportedly may sell UK cloud gaming rights to get Activision Blizzard deal done

John Callaham — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:50:01 +0000

A new report claims Microsoft is considering selling off some of its Xbox Cloud Gaming rights to a third party in order to get the CMA to approve its plans to purchase Activision Blizzard. Read more...

Phil Spencer's internal memo talks about Activision acquisition and the win against FTC

Mehrotra A — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 19:06:01 +0000

Soon after Microsoft's win against the FTC Phil Spencer had sent an internal memo addressing the company's efforts to get it over the line as well as the belief that it would be good for the industry. Read more...

Adobe's Figma acquisition held up by CMA, has five days to offer proposals

Paul Hill — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:54:01 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has said that it's not happy with Adobe trying to buy Figma. It has asked the companies to provide legally-binding remedies within five days. Read more...

Amazon convinced the CMA but the EU is still unsure about the $1.7 billion iRobot deal

Anushe Fawaz — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:22:01 +0000

Despite the CMA, the UK antitrust regulator, clearing the suspicions towards Amazon's acquisition of iRobot corporation, the European Commission is still unsure about its effects on the industry. Read more...

UK competition regulator greenlights Amazon's billion-dollar purchase of iRobot

Anushe Fawaz — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 14:12:01 +0000

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK initially expressed concerns over the purchase of Roomba vacuum cleaner maker iRobot by Amazon. But, it has now greenlighted the decision. Read more...

Vodafone and Three agree to merger in the UK

Paul Hill — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 11:02:54 +0000

Vodafone and Three UK have announced plans to merge their UK operations. Both of the companies have found it increasingly difficult to offer services and say a merger will address this issue. Read more...

Meta won't use rival's ad data for Facebook Marketplace, once it can stop doing so

Steve Bennett — Fri, 26 May 2023 17:02:01 +0000

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has released a document today, which includes commitments from Meta to not use rival's ad data for Facebook Marketplace...but there's a catch. Read more...

Shutterstock to buy GIPHY after CMA forced Meta to sell it

Paul Hill — Tue, 23 May 2023 19:50:01 +0000

Shutterstock has agreed to acquire GIPHY for $53 million from Meta after a UK regulator forced the sale. Meta is taking a huge loss as a result of the sale as it paid around $400 million for GIPHY. Read more...

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard cannot buy interest in each other, thanks to UK regulators

John Callaham — Thu, 11 May 2023 16:16:01 +0000

The UK Competition and Markets Authority regulator has banned Microsoft and Activision Blizzard from acquiring an interest in each other's companies without the CMA's prior approval. Read more...

Activision Blizzard hires top lawyer to appeal the UK's rejection of Microsoft acquisition

Steve Bennett — Tue, 09 May 2023 18:52:01 +0000

After Microsoft's £55 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard was blocked in the UK, the company brought in top legal talent to take the fight to the UK's CMA in a Competition Appeal Tribunal. Read more...

UK competition watchdog launches review into generative AI

Paul Hill — Fri, 05 May 2023 13:32:02 +0000

The Competition and Markets Authority is launching its initial review into generative AI to see how it could affect competition or affect consumers. It'll publish a report in September. Read more...

Activision CEO says CMA decision will lessen competition, expects reversal after appeal

Paul Hill — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 20:52:01 +0000

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has been doing the media rounds today. He said the UK's CMA had made a mistake to block the acquisition by Microsoft and said the company will appeal. Read more...

Microsoft Weekly: ChatGPT bans, free USBs for Windows Insiders, and IT admin upgrades

Usama Jawad — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 17:16:01 +0000

This week's Microsoft Weekly digest is chock-full of news items related to controversies related to AI-powered products, the arrival of free USBs for Windows Insiders, and multiple app updates. Read more...