AB(US:ATVI) 3 6 Ke·2025-04-09 09:02Core Insights - Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary, reflecting on its evolution from software to artificial intelligence, highlighting the importance of acquisitions and partnerships in its growth [1] Acquisitions Overview - Forethought, Inc. was acquired for approximately $14 million, leading to the development of PowerPoint, which now holds a 95% market share in presentation software [3] - Microsoft acquired Hotmail for $400 million in 1997, which had over 8.5 million users at the time, and later transitioned it to Outlook [6] - Visio was acquired for $1.375 billion in 2000, integrating it into the Microsoft Office suite [10] - Navision was acquired in 2002, becoming part of Microsoft Business Solutions and later rebranded as Microsoft Dynamics NAV [12] - aQuantive was acquired for $6.333 billion in 2007, but the acquisition did not yield expected growth, leading to a $6.2 billion write-down in 2012 [14][20] - Microsoft acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011, but user engagement has declined since the pandemic, leading to plans to shut down Skype in favor of Microsoft Teams [23][24] - Yammer was acquired for $1.2 billion in 2012 and has since been rebranded as Viva Engage [29] - Microsoft acquired Nokia's mobile business for €37.9 billion in 2014, but the venture faced significant challenges, resulting in a $4.2 billion revenue drop [33][34] - LinkedIn was acquired for $26.2 billion in 2016, with 930 million registered members as of July 2023 [37] - GitHub was acquired for $7.5 billion in 2018, reflecting Microsoft's commitment to open-source software [42] - Microsoft acquired Nuance Communications in 2021, enhancing its AI capabilities in healthcare [70][71] - The acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in 2022 is noted as the largest video game acquisition in history, positioning Microsoft as the third-largest gaming company globally [53] AI and Technology Acquisitions - Microsoft has made several acquisitions in the AI sector, including Powerset in 2008, SwiftKey in 2016, and Semantic Machines in 2018, to enhance its AI capabilities across various products [55][56][59][68] - The acquisition of Bonsai in 2018 aimed to bolster Microsoft's industrial AI initiatives, although subsequent restructuring indicated a shift in focus towards OpenAI [70] Conclusion - The analysis of Microsoft's acquisitions reveals a strategic expansion into various sectors, with some acquisitions yielding significant benefits while others faced challenges or were phased out due to strategic misalignments [74]