Friday, October 14, 2005
Microsoft Gives Real a Big Hug
Posted by James Fee in "SOFTWARE" @ 02:00 PM
"The last major antitrust Battle in Seattle came to an end today: Microsoft and RealNetworks have announced they've resolved Real's antitrust case against the Redmond-based software giant. Three separate agreements have Microsoft forking over $761 million to RealNetworks and create a new partnership between the two companies to "innovate and promote digital music and games." The three agreements settle all of RealNetworks' antitrust disputes worldwide, enable "wide-ranging" digital music collaboration between the companies (including marketing support for Real's Rhapsody music subscription service on MSN properties), and an agreement to offer RealNetworks' digital gamed through Microsoft's MSN Games and Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360."
Microsoft has been dishing out tons of money to settle all these antitrust cases over the last few months and I can only assume this one will cause the EU case to collapse as Real was the start witness. Anyway I suspect in the end one of two things will happen out of this deal.
1. Microsoft buys Real in the next year to gain access to Rhapsody
2. Real dumps its own format in favor of WMA/WMV
Microsoft has been dishing out tons of money to settle all these antitrust cases over the last few months and I can only assume this one will cause the EU case to collapse as Real was the start witness. Anyway I suspect in the end one of two things will happen out of this deal.
1. Microsoft buys Real in the next year to gain access to Rhapsody
2. Real dumps its own format in favor of WMA/WMV
