Apart from Windows Client and Server operating systems, software makers, under the agreement, are also allowed federated access to Microsoft’s PC productivity applications, SharePoint, Outlook and Exchange, and the .NET framework.
Interestingly, the EU has not been able to arrange such terms with Apple or Google, and both macOS and ChromeOS, respectively remain free from any inclusivity obligations. This may have to do with how different these companies are from Microsoft in terms of their business models. Apple operates closed integration of its software, whereas Google’s open-source Android platform already provides a lot of transparency.
CrowdStrike-led outage was avoidable
While the deal, in itself, aims to ensure a fair competitive environment by enabling third-party software vendors to integrate and operate seamlessly with Microsoft’s products, it isn’t as great from a security viewpoint as it opens critical Microsoft systems to third-party access and may sometimes even lead to a mass disruption as in the case of recent CrowdStrike patch fiasco.