Microsoft 365 Ditches Free VPN as Subscription Costs Climb

Microsoft 365 Ditches Free VPN as Subscription Costs Climb

Microsoft is preparing to eliminate the built-in VPN feature from its Microsoft 365 subscription later this month, a move that coincides with recent price hikes. This decision has sparked discussions about the value proposition of Microsoft 365 and the company's strategy regarding its suite of productivity and security tools. Originally touted as a key privacy enhancement, the VPN within Microsoft 365 leveraged the Microsoft Defender app to encrypt internet traffic and mask IP addresses. However, as of February 28th, this added layer of privacy will be no more. "We routinely evaluate the usage and effectiveness of our features," Microsoft explained in a support document unearthed by Windows Central. "As such, we are removing the privacy protection feature and will invest in new areas that will better align to customer needs." This statement suggests that the VPN feature failed to gain widespread adoption, prompting Microsoft to reallocate resources to other are…