News on Trends

Microsoft’s July 2026 Microsoft 365 price increase adds 5–8% to list prices. For large enterprises, the prior removal of EA volume discounts raises the effective increase to 15–23%. This article analyses the combined cost impact and renewal timing options.

This article examines Microsoft’s Q2 FY2026 earnings, focusing on cloud performance, Azure growth trends, AI investment scale, backlog composition, and the resulting context for enterprise licensing, pricing, and renewal discussions.

The February 2026 Product Terms update adds Defender for Endpoint P2 and Entra ID P2 as add-ons for Microsoft 365 E3 and introduces Dragon Copilot Physician Practice Per User with a tenant isolation requirement.

Microsoft replaces the free CSP grace period with a paid Extended Service Term from April 2026, shifting renewals to a 23% premium model that trades free buffer time for uninterrupted service.

Microsoft quietly removed the Power Apps per App Plan from the January 2026 licensing guide. Existing customers face renewal cost increases of up to 300% as only Premium or PAYG options remain.

GitHub reduced prices for hosted runners, but quietly introduced a fee for self-hosted usage. The developer backlash was immediate. Within a week, GitHub reversed course — but the cost problem remains.

Microsoft’s January 2026 Product Terms update formalises Security Copilot in M365 E5, rebrands Azure AI Foundry to Microsoft Foundry, adds new third-party AI model licensing terms, and clarifies Teams Phone carrier liability.

Microsoft’s December 2025 Product Terms update introduces three changes: an updated Bing Grounding Terms of Use reference in Copilot Studio, the general availability of Dragon Copilot Nursing, and the addition of Windows 365 Reserve to the Product Terms.

Visual Studio 2026 updates Product Terms with a revised Office entitlement and consolidated licence conditions, while keeping the per-user subscription model unchanged. Key implications for compliance and entitlement tracking.

Microsoft faces a trust crisis: from Pentagon letters of concern and China-based engineer revelations to EU regulatory settlements and failed AI trials, governments now demand sovereignty and transparency.

Microsoft faces global antitrust backlash over cloud licensing, AI dominance, and bundling, forcing policy shifts across the US, UK, and EU.

We have a critical update concerning all service providers with SPLA agreements and their customers from January 2025. Plus, an analysis of this situation from our Chief Negotiation Officer, Daryl Ullman.