The Power of Microsoft
The Microsoft company, a maker of computer software and hardware for desktops, laptops, tablets and gadgets, is one of the most influential in the technology world. It dominates the IBM PC compatible operating system market, and it leads the office suite market, produces the Xbox gaming consoles, and offers a cloud-based software development platform known as Visual Studio. It is also a leading player in Internet search (with Bing), digital media, mixed reality and the mobile computing industry.
The company was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Its early success in a new and rapidly expanding field triggered jealousy and resentment among competitors. Some governments have found it guilty of monopoly practices, but its defenders say that instead of stifling innovation and competition, its growth has made technology more affordable and accessible.
Today, the company is based in Redmond, Washington. It is led by CEO Satya Nadella, who has refocused the company on cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. Its flagship product is Windows, which is the most used operating system in the world for personal computers. Its various versions are grouped into families that target different sectors of the computer industry, such as Windows (unqualified) for consumer workstations, Windows Server, and Windows IoT, a version that targets devices with limited memory and computing resources.
Other notable products include the Office suite of productivity programs, the Microsoft Surface line of tablet computers, the Windows Phone smartphone operating system, and the Azure cloud-based software platform. Its Xbox video game consoles are popular worldwide, and the company publishes books through its Microsoft Press division.
It also operates research labs in a number of locations, including Cambridge, England; Beijing, China; and Bengaluru, India. Microsoft is the parent company of LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking service, and it owns the Bing search engine.
Although it was once widely viewed as an insular company that favored its own employees, Microsoft has made significant efforts to become more diverse and inclusive over the years. Its hiring process now includes a diversity and inclusion training component, and the company has launched programs to encourage women to pursue STEM careers.
In recent years, it has also worked to expand its presence in the media and entertainment industry. Its Xbox gaming consoles are a huge success, and it has entered the online publishing world with its Encarta multimedia encyclopedias. Its Microsoft Studios division is a major producer of video games, and it has a deep library of titles that span many genres. The company is also involved in the virtual reality and augmented reality industries with its HoloLens headset and other related hardware. In addition, it has developed a number of popular applications for Android and iOS smartphones. Its Bing search engine and other digital media services are also popular with consumers. The company is a founding member of the OpenAI foundation, which promotes responsible use of AI. It is an investor in a number of start-ups that are developing AI technologies.