在上诉法院拒绝其申请后，微软未能获得向英国最高法院提起上诉的许可，从而在与ValueLicensing长达数年的法律纠纷中遭遇挫折。这家美国科技巨头此前对2025年11月有利于ValueLicensing的裁决提出挑战，该裁决认定ValueLicensing可以转售二手软件许可。当时的判决非常明确，但微软当时向媒体表示将寻求上诉许可。
Microsoft has failed to win permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court in the long-running legal spat with ValueLicensing after the Court of Appeal refused its application. The US megacorp was challenging a November 2025 ruling in ValueLicensing's favor that VL may resell pre-owned software licenses. That judgment was unambiguous, but Microsoft told The at the time that it would seek permission to appeal.
这一请求于上周被直截了当地驳回。法院未给出拒绝的理由，仅写道：“兹命令驳回该申请。”这并不完全意味着案件的终结。微软可以直接向最高法院提出申请，但它必须在28天内提交，并出示令人信服的理由，证明上诉法院拒绝其上诉是错误的。
That request was rejected last week in blunt terms. No reasons were given for the refusal, just the words "It is ordered that the application is refused." It isn't quite the end of the road. Microsoft could apply to the Supreme Court itself, but it would need to file within 28 days and show a compelling reason why the Court of Appeal was wrong to refuse its appeal.
对于这起始于2021年的案件，微软目前的处境颇为险峻。当时，ValueLicensing起诉微软，索赔2.7亿英镑，指控这家Windows制造商切断了闲置Office许可的供应。微软否认有任何不当行为，并试图将此案重新定性为版权纠纷。英国竞争上诉法庭驳回了微软的论点及随后的上诉。
Things are looking dicey for Microsoft in the case that started in 2021 when ValueLicensing sued Microsoft for £270 million over claims that the Windows maker choked off the supply of surplus Office licenses. Microsoft denied any wrongdoing and Instead attempted to reframe the case as a copyright dispute. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected Microsoft's arguments and a subsequent appeal.
一份新近发布的同意令给微软带来了更大的压力。该命令要求微软提供过去和现任微软高管的文件，其中包括一份可能具有爆炸性的内部演示文稿，题为《二手软件演示》（简称SHS）。该文件的内容尚不清楚，但同意令将其称为“已知的不利文件”。该文件可追溯至2013年，即Office 365推出几年后。该命令还询问为什么微软直到2025年底才披露该文件的存在，即Office 365推出几年后。
A recently published Consent Order adds to the pressure. It demands documents from past and present Microsoft bosses, including a potentially explosive internal deck titled "Second-Hand Software Presentation" (SHS). The contents of the file are unknown, but the Consent Order refers to it as a "Known Adverse Document." It dates back to 2013, a few years after Office 365 was launched. The order also asks why Microsoft waited until the end of 2025 to disclose the document’s existence, a few years after Office 365 launched.
更添戏剧性的是，亚历山大·沃尔夫森被列为该上诉被拒案的干预人。他是另一起诉讼中拟议的集体诉讼代表，该诉讼代表英国数百万客户对微软展开索赔，金额在13亿英镑至35亿英镑之间，理由是微软有关二手许可的行为。
To add a little more spice, Alexander Wolfson is listed as an intervener on the appeal refusal. He is the proposed class representative in a separate claim filed on behalf of millions of UK customers seeking between £1.3 billion to £3.5 billion in compensation from Microsoft over its conduct regarding pre-owned licenses.
ValueLicensing和微软均拒绝就最新进展发表评论。抛开上诉不谈，下一阶段将是微软提交一份证人陈述书，解释谁在何时了解什么情况，随后将进行进一步的证据披露。
ValueLicensing and Microsoft declined to comment on the latest development. Appeals aside, the next stage will be a Witness Statement from Microsoft explaining who knew what and when, followed by further disclosure. ®