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China Probes Microsoft, Shows Up at Offices Unannounced

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Chinese officials recently showed up unannounced at four Microsoft offices in China, reportedly to investigate antitrust accusations.

According to the South China Morning Post, State Administration for Industry and Commerce officials arrived in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.

It's unclear exactly what they are investigating. When asked for comment, a Microsoft spokeswoman said "we aim to build products that deliver the features, security and reliability customers expect, and we will address any concerns the government may have."

The news comes about two months after China reportedly banned Redmond's latest OS on government computers. All desktops, laptops, and tablets used by central state agencies must run on an OS other than Windows 8, according to China's Central Government Procurement Center.

The center did not specify why it was banning Windows 8, but the Xinhua news agency said the country wants to avoid losing support for an operating system like it did recently with Windows XP.

China also recently took aim at Apple and the location tracking on its iPhone, which the country said was a national security issue. Apple denied it.

But while Windows 8 may be under suspicion, Microsoft's Xbox One will arrive in China this September, the first console to be sold in the region in over a decade. Retailers like JD.com are taking pre-orders now, according to Bloomberg. They are requiring an $81 deposit, but JD.com declined to say how much the console will cost Chinese consumers in total.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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