Diversification of Microsoft
Microsoft is a multinational technology company that makes computer software, personal computers and consumer electronics. Founded in 1975, Microsoft has been a leader in the computer software industry for more than two decades. The company is also known for its many patents and trademarks. In a 2015 article, Wired magazine cited Microsoft as the number one software company, with more than a billion dollars in sales in 2017. The number of patents filed by Microsoft is staggering, and the company’s recent expansion into mobile applications and the cloud makes the corporation even more impressive.
One of Microsoft’s most successful products is the Windows operating system, which allows computers to run. It was Microsoft’s first product to incorporate an operating system, which was a version of Unix released in 1980. It was this operating system that would eventually become the foundation for its first word processor, Multi-Tool Word. This software became an instant hit and continues to dominate the market today. The company is a leader in several categories and markets, and is an icon of the information age.
While the company’s core product, PC operating systems, is still the cornerstone of the company, it has expanded into other industries. Aside from producing office software, Microsoft has expanded into other fields, such as video games, digital services, and the internet. It also offers services for the web, such as video game development and internet search. The company’s recent acquisition of Skype Technologies, which offers video conferencing and messaging to businesses, paved the way for the company’s diversification into other markets.
Although Microsoft had traditionally been a supplier of computer hardware before the 1990s, its focus on software became more strategic once the personal computer became common. In fact, in 2021, Microsoft acquired voice-recognition company Nuance for 19.7 billion dollars. Its software now commands a larger share of the world PC market. As a result, Microsoft has become a worldwide force in many industries. So, the company has diversified beyond traditional PC operating systems.
It has a long history of success in technology. Its IPO in 1986 helped create three billionaires and made more than a thousand millionaires. Since then, Microsoft has been expanding its business beyond the PC operating system market. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype Technologies, a video-conferencing company. These acquisitions helped Microsoft enter the lucrative healthcare market. The acquisition of Nuance was the largest ever in a single day. Its IPO price was $21 billion.
The Windows operating system is Microsoft’s most popular product. The company competes with smaller OS companies such as Red Hat, which distributes open-source operating systems. It also makes tablet computers and computer accessories such as Xbox. While Google dominates the U.S. market, Microsoft is active in other sectors, including the video game industry and internet search. While the company is the dominant player in the PC operating system market, the company is also a global player in the software market.
