Tech titan turns 50: Microsoft in numbers

Core Insights - Microsoft, founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, is one of the five Big Tech companies and is approaching its 50th anniversary on April 4, 2025 [1] Product Evolution - Microsoft Office was launched in 1989 and became the leading home computer software globally [2] - The rebranding to Office 365 in 2011 introduced a cloud-based subscription model, allowing users to access products regardless of their operating system [2][3] User Metrics - As of December 2024, Office 365 had 86.3 million consumer subscribers [3] Browser Market Share - Internet Explorer peaked at a 95% market share in the early 2000s but faced significant declines due to security issues and competition from browsers like Chrome and Firefox [4][6] - Microsoft retired Internet Explorer in 2022, replacing it with Edge, which currently holds a 5.3% market share [7] Product Failures - The Kin, a mobile social networking device, was a notable failure, being pulled from shelves after only three months due to poor sales [8] - Other failed products include Zune and an early version of Skype, which did not succeed in the market [9] Operating System Dominance - Windows operates on 70.5% of the world's desktop computers, significantly ahead of Apple's OS X at 15.8% [10] Market Capitalization - Microsoft has a market capitalization of approximately $2.9 trillion, making it one of the largest companies globally [11] Investment in AI - Microsoft plans to invest $80 billion in artificial intelligence from July 2024 to July 2025, with a significant partnership with OpenAI [12] Cloud Computing Growth - Microsoft's Azure holds a 21% market share in cloud computing, ranking second behind Amazon Web Services at 30% [13]