Intel Faces Antitrust Probe On Planned McAfee Acquisition

European Commission investigating whether proposed deal would box out competing antivirus products, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The European Commission, the European Unions antitrust regulator, is reportedly taking a close look at chipmaker Intels plans to acquire antivirus vendor McAfee for $7.68 billion.
In addition, the EU regulators concerns could now result in a lengthy period of scrutiny, reports the
Wall Street Journal
, citing unnamed sources.
The sticking point is apparently Intels stated
intention
to include previously standalone security features in its microprocessors. The EU appears concerned that if McAfee, by virtue of being owned by Intel, had privileged access to those features, it could be difficult for McAfees rivals to compete, according to the
Wall Street Journal
.
Regulators have reportedly sent multiple questionnaires to Intel, asking whether McAfees technology might have privileged access to better chip performance and a list of applications currently running on the computer, and whether Intel could trigger promotional pop-up advertisements aimed at cross-selling chip users into buying McAfee products.
On Thursday, McAfee released a statement, updating investors about the status of its planned acquisition by Intel. All required pre-close regulatory filings around the world have been made and the matter is now under review in those respective jurisdictions, according to the
statement
. We expect that the deal will close some time in the first half of 2011 but do not have any further details to share at this time. The statement notably made no reference to any regulator-related delays.
Currently, 80% of the worlds PCs include Intel chips. But as the EUs caution suggests, Intel is treading in relatively untested waters by seeking to create hardware-enhanced security -- as one of its executives has put it -- through its planned acquisition of McAfee.
Furthermore, market watchers
havent been convinced
that Intels move to enhance PC security via its chipsets would improve on whats currently available -- especially since so much relating to PC security requires close ties into the operating system.

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Intel Faces Antitrust Probe On Planned McAfee Acquisition