Microsoft introduced Windows, Microsoft 365, and the Azure cloud platform.
Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft first became widely known for software used on personal computers. Its MS-DOS operating system helped establish the IBM PC standard, while Windows later became a dominant graphical operating system.
Microsoft expanded beyond desktop software through Office, Xbox, LinkedIn, GitHub, and Azure. Microsoft 365 is the subscription-based evolution of Office and related productivity services. Azure competes with Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud in computing, storage, databases, and artificial-intelligence services.
A common mix-up is confusing Microsoft with Windows: Windows is a Microsoft product, not a separate publicly traded company. Microsoft’s market value has been supported by its software franchises, enterprise subscriptions, cloud infrastructure, and investments in artificial intelligence.