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Microsoft And AOL Settle, Forge New Ties
Agreement will benefit consumers, speed digital media on the internet
Today Microsoft and AOL Time Warner (AOL) announced an agreement that marks the end of AOL's private antitrust litigation against Microsoft. AOL's online unit filed suit against Microsoft in January 2002 on behalf of its subsidiary, Netscape Communications. The settlement heralds the beginning of a new era in the development of the Internet that will benefit both consumers and businesses.
Gates Lauds Agreement
Microsoft and AOL will work together to develop and distribute technologies to speed the availability of high-quality digital content on the Internet. The aim is to develop a digital media environment that's secure from piracy, open to all companies across multiple industries, and that offers consumers access to broad content in a compelling, easy-to-use manner.
Bill Gates, Microsoft's Chairman and Chief Software Architect, praised the agreement, noting that, "With Microsoft's media technology expertise and AOL Time Warner's content expertise, we believe we can accelerate the adoption of digital media for the Internet and help content providers across the entire industry."
Collaboration Will Benefit Consumers, Business
AOL will license Microsoft's Windows Media 9 Series software for creating, distributing and playing back high-quality digital media. Microsoft also has provided AOL a seven-year license to use Microsoft's Internet Explorer technologies with the AOL online service. The two companies have established mutually beneficial support and distribution relationships, and will explore ways to establish interoperability between AOL and MSN Instant Messenger networks.
This settlement not only resolves the private antitrust lawsuit between two of the IT sector's leading companies, but also announces a new spirit of cooperation between AOL and Microsoft and creates an opportunity to make the digital decade a reality. Consumers and businesses alike will benefit from the new technologies and content distribution channels that emerge as a result.
Details of the agreement are available at: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2003/
may03/05-29MSAOLSettlementPR.asp
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