The History of Microsoft
microsoft is an American multinational technology company that develops computer software, cloud services, and online games. It is best known for its Windows operating system, the Office productivity software suite, and the Visual Studio development environment. It also produces Xbox gaming consoles and has a presence in the Internet search (with Bing), digital content market (through MSN), and mixed reality (with HoloLens).
The company was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. It is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. As of April 2019, it is the third largest public company in the world by market cap, behind Apple and Amazon. Its most valuable asset is its intellectual property.
Like many software companies, microsoft has had a number of controversies involving its products and business practices. Its software has been criticized for issues with ease of use, robustness, and security. The company has also been criticized for its employment policies, including the practice of hiring employees as permatemp workers who would lose their benefits if they left.
Despite the controversy, microsoft is considered one of the most innovative technology companies in the world. Its product lines continue to evolve and change with the times, as Microsoft adapts to new technological trends. It is currently focused on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and quantum computing.
The company has a diverse range of shareholders. The top three shareholders are Vanguard Group Inc, BlackRock Inc, and State Street Corp. Together, they own over 70% of the shares in the company.
During the 1990s, Microsoft began to focus more on consumer products, rather than just the hardware that ran their software. By doing so, they were able to grow their profits and reach $1 billion in revenue. As the popularity of personal computers increased, so too did the profitability of Microsoft’s Windows software.
Windows became the dominant operating system on IBM PC compatible computers. This was partly due to the fact that it was bundled with PCs and required no additional license fees. The company also developed its own line of laptop and tablet hardware, which complemented its popular software products.
In the 2000s, Microsoft struggled to keep its lead in the desktop operating system market, as competitors such as Apple’s Mac OS and Google’s Chrome OS gained traction. However, the release of Windows 8 and the introduction of the Surface line of hybrid tablet-laptop computers helped to re-establish Microsoft’s dominance in the market.
With the release of Windows 11 in 2018, the company hopes that its new system requirements will drive people to upgrade their existing PCs to a version that is more up to date with current technologies. This, in turn, should help to boost sales of its flagship Windows franchise. It also continues to expand into the mobile space with the Cortana voice assistant and its HoloLens virtual reality headset. It is also expanding into the cloud computing space with Azure and its services. This allows developers to build and manage their applications from a single platform.
