<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Just over a week ago, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched proceedings in the federal court against Microsoft over allegedly false or misleading communication regarding the renewal of their Office 365 subscriptions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The chair of the ACCC, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, alleged that Microsoft "deliberately" failed to mention the classic plan and "concealed" its existence to increase the number of users on the more expensive Copilot-integrated plans.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At the time, Cass-Gottlieb said: "The Microsoft Office apps included in 365 subscriptions are essential in many people's lives, and given there are limited substitutes to the bundled package, cancelling the subscription is a decision many would not make lightly.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/wa-dad-wearing-nothing-but-spongebob-underwear-takes-down-alleged-carjacker/44b6d21d-f9f8-4b61-9d8b-2a0b1b1ef709" target="_blank"><strong><span>WA dad wearing nothing but SpongeBob undies takes down alleged carjacker</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We're concerned that Microsoft's communications denied its customers the opportunity to make informed decisions about their subscription options, which included the possibility of retaining all the features of their existing plan without Copilot and at the lower price," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We believe many Microsoft 365 customers would have opted for the classic plan had they been aware of all the available options."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the ACCC heads to court seeking penalties and consumer redress, and Microsoft faces a maximum penalty of $50 million, Microsoft has today announced it is contacting affected customers via email from today.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/microsoft-issues-apology-misleading-subscription-prices/d3398d09-47b4-4641-b735-208d45ba3c5a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/louisville-ups-plane-crash-update-death-toll-rises-to-nine/fde6a27a-6160-488f-9bf5-77fdb5d2418a" target="_blank"><strong><span>Death toll rises to at least nine in Kentucky cargo plane crash</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a statement to 9News, a Microsoft spokesperson said: "Today we began reaching out to our Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers in Australia regarding a subscription alternative that we could have communicated more clearly when we changed our pricing in October 2024.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In response to the demand for advanced AI tools, we introduced AI capabilities into the Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions that we offer in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In hindsight, we could have been clearer about the availability of a non-AI enabled offering with subscribers, not just to those who opted to cancel their subscription.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In our email to subscribers, we expressed our regret for not being clearer about our subscription options, shared details about lower-priced alternatives that come without AI and offered a refund to eligible subscribers who wish to switch.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We have been present in Australia for more than 40 years, operating on the principles of trust and transparency. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We fell short of our standards here, and we apologise. We will learn from this and improve."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/vending-machine-business-why-australians-are-buying-selling-snack-machines-for-extra-income/1999b07f-1822-400d-a5bb-e249b5728d6c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Why thousands of Australians are buying and selling snack vending machines</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anyone with a Microsoft Office 365 subscription should keep an eye out for that email to ensure they are on the correct plan and take steps to receive any refund they may be entitled to.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>