Difference between revisions of "Timeline of Microsoft"

This is a timeline of [[Microsoft]], a multinational computer technology corporation.

| 1985–1994 || Microsoft moves to Redmond, IPOs, launches [[Microsoft Office]] and its first [[GUI]]. This would lead it to dominate much of the software market and put it in conflict with [[Apple Inc]]. Until 1995, [[Microsoft]] had failed to take advantage of the rising popularity of the Internet.  

| 1995–2000|| Microsoft releases [[Windows 95]] and [[Windows 98]], both which become extremely popular. It expands its presence on the Internet, and it develops an overwhelming share of the desktop [[operating system]] and [[Internet browser]] market. It also goes through an antitrust lawsuit.  

| 2000–2006 || Microsoft releases [[Windows ME]] (considered to be a botched release), which is then patched up by the popular [[Windows XP]], which retains an overwhelming share of the OS market for a long time. Microsoft also releases the [[Xbox]], which would eventually compete with the [[Playstation]] as one of the most popular gaming devices.  

| 2007–2011 || Microsoft releases [[Windows Vista]] (which is considered to be a botched release), and then [[Windows 7]] to fix up the botch-up. While it still retains a significant share in the desktop operating system market, it does not anticipate the smartphone revolution. Microsoft also starts losing its share of the browser market to [[Firefox]] and [[Google Chrome]], and MSN starts losing share of the search engine market to [[Google]]. Apple, Microsoft's old nemesis, would also introduce the [[iPhone]], which would gradually eat into the overall Microsoft share of computing devices. [[Bill Gates]] continues to have diminishing involvement over the company.

| 2011–2014 || The desktop operating system market is collapsing, as is the market share of Windows-based programming languages among developers.<ref name="MyUser_Vox.com_January_17_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.vox.com/2016/1/3/10696020/microsoft-stack-overflow-chart |title=The fall of Microsoft, in one chart - Vox |newspaper=Vox.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 17, 2016}}</ref> Some question Microsoft's future under [[Steve Balmer]]. [[Windows 8]] is released, but it is considered to be a botched release.

| 2014–present || Microsoft appoints [[Satya Nadella]] as CEO, and its stock starts recovering again. Microsoft releases [[Windows 10]], whose features help it compete with Google and Facebook to establish the strongest hold over people's digital lives.  

| 1975 || April 4 || Company || [[Bill Gates]] and [[Paul Allen]] founded Microsoft.<ref name="WiredFormation">{{cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/2008/04/dayintech-0404/ |title=April 4, 1975: Bill Gates, Paul Allen Form a Little Partnership |newspaper=Wired.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

| 1980 || August || Product || Microsoft signs a contract with [[IBM]] to develop an operating system for IBM's first personal computer. This, in turn, was the beginning for both the [[Bundling of Microsoft Windows]], and [[Wintel]]ism, as [[IBM]] personal computers and [[Intel]] were also bundled with each other.  

| 1981 || July 27 || Product || Microsoft buys the rights for [[86-DOS|QDOS]] from [[Seattle Computer Products]] (without telling SCP that it had a lucrative contract with IBM). This would later become [[MS-DOS]].<ref name="MyUser_Extremetech.com_January_17_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.extremetech.com/computing/91202-ms-dos-is-30-years-old-today |title=MS-DOS is 30 years old today |newspaper=Extremetech.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 17, 2016}}</ref>

| 1981 || August 12 || Company || IBM announces the release of the [[IBM Personal Computer]], which becomes the dominant personal computer. As DOS was the only operating system available on the PC when it was introduced in New York City, this paves way to the future domination by the [[MS-DOS]] operating system.<ref name="MyUser_03.ibm.com_January_26_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/pc25/pc25_birth.html |title=IBM Archives: The birth of the IBM PC |newspaper=03.ibm.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="harddrive">{{Cite book |first=James|last=Wallace|year=1993|title=Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers|location=New York|isbn= 0-471-56886-4}}</ref>

| 1983 || January || Products || [[Compaq]] releases its first PC-compatible machine with IBM compatible clones, which hurt IBM but helped Microsoft (as it had to license DOS from Microsoft), but any application developed to run on the PC could still run on Compaq machines.<ref name="harddrive" />

| 1983 || January 26 || Competition || [[Lotus Software]] releases [[Lotus 1-2-3]], a spreadsheet program that becomes the [[IBM PC]]'s first [[killer application]], and which established the spreadsheet standard for the PC. By the late 1980s, it would eventually lose out to [[Microsoft Excel]].<ref name="harddrive" />

| 1983 || May 30 || Products || Microsoft announces Multi-Tool Word, which later becomes [[Microsoft Word]].<ref name="harddrive" />

|1984 || January 24 || Competition || [[Steve Jobs]] introduces the original [[Macintosh]], the first mass-market computer with a [[graphical user interface]]. Microsoft would later adopt many of its features into Windows.<ref name="TIMELINE1">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1975 - 1990 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|1985 || September || Products || Microsoft releases [[Microsoft Excel]], which would compete with, and later overtake, [[Lotus 1-2-3]].<ref name="harddrive" />

| 1985 || November 20 || Products || Microsoft launches the first version of its Windows operating system, [[Windows 1.0]], which runs on top of [[MS-DOS]] and had a primitive [[GUI]].<ref name="MyUser_The_Daily_Telegraph_January_17_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/bill-gates/10616991/Bill-Gates-a-history-at-Microsoft.html |title=Bill Gates: a history at Microsoft |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date= February 4, 2014 |author= |accessdate= January 17, 2016}}</ref><ref name="MyUser_Smartts.com_January_25_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.smartts.com/blog/2015/04/brief-history-of-microsoft-windows-operating-system/ |title=Brief History of Microsoft Windows Operating System |newspaper=Smartts.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|1986 || February || Company || Microsoft moves its headquarters to a [[Microsoft Redmond Campus|suburban campus]] in [[Redmond, Washington]].<ref name="MyUser_The_Daily_Telegraph_January_17_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/bill-gates/10616991/Bill-Gates-a-history-at-Microsoft.html |title=Bill Gates: a history at Microsoft |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date= February 4, 2014 |author= |accessdate= January 17, 2016}}</ref>

|1987 || April 2 || Products || Microsoft announces [[OS/2]].<ref name="TIMELINE1">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1975 - 1990 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|1988 || March || Competition, Legal || [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] sues Microsoft, contending that Microsoft's Windows 2.03 program violated Apple's copyrights on the Macintosh displays.<ref name="MyUser_The_New_York_Times_January_30_2016c">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/24/business/company-news-apple-and-microsoft-disclose-a-1985-pact.html |title=COMPANY NEWS - Apple and Microsoft Disclose a 1985 Pact |newspaper=The New York Times |date= March 24, 1988 |author= |accessdate= January 30, 2016}}</ref>

|1990 || May 22 || Products || Microsoft launches [[Windows 3.0]].<ref name="TIMELINE1">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1975 - 1990 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref> It gives the user virtual memory, improved graphics, and the ability to multitask.

|1990 || November 19 || Products || Microsoft releases [[Microsoft Office]], which bundles together [[Microsoft Word]], [[Microsoft Excel]], and [[Microsoft PowerPoint]] for the first time.<ref name="MyUser_Thewindowsclub.com_January_20_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.thewindowsclub.com/history-evolution-microsoft-office-software |title=History & Evolution Of Microsoft Office Software |newspaper=Thewindowsclub.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 20, 2016}}</ref>

|1991 || September || Company || Microsoft creates [[Microsoft Research]]. It declares that it would support research without regard to product cycles.<ref name="MSR">{{cite web |url=http://news.microsoft.com/2001/09/05/microsoft-research-timeline-1991-2001/ |title=Microsoft Research Timeline: 1991-2001 |newspaper=Microsoft News|date= September 5, 2001 |author= |accessdate= January 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="MyUser_Financial_Times_January_26_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/15_msrhistory.aspx |title=The Meteoric Rise of Microsoft Research: An Oral History - Microsoft Research |newspaper=Microsoft Research News |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 26, 2016}}</ref>

|1993 || March 22 || Products || Microsoft releases [[Microsoft Encarta]], the first digital multimedia encyclopedia.<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|1995 || August 24 || Products || Microsoft releases [[Windows 95]], which features a new interface with a novel start button.<ref name="MyUser_The_Daily_Telegraph_January_17_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/bill-gates/10616991/Bill-Gates-a-history-at-Microsoft.html |title=Bill Gates: a history at Microsoft |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date= February 4, 2014 |author= |accessdate= January 17, 2016}}</ref> Microsoft also debutted [[The Microsoft Network]], a [[search engine]] and [[web portal]] for a wide variety of products and services.<ref name="VergeMSN">{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/24/9197529/windows-95-is-20-years-old-today |title=Windows 95 is 20 years old today |newspaper=Theverge.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

| 1995 || December 15 || Products||Microsoft announces partnership with [[NBC]] to create a new 24-hour cable news television station, MSNBC.<ref name="MyUser_The_New_York_Times_January_25_2016c">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/15/business/the-media-business-microsoft-and-nbc-news-hold-a-little-satellite-chat.html |title=THE MEDIA BUSINESS - Microsoft and NBC News Hold a Little Satellite Chat |newspaper=The New York Times |date= December 15, 1995 |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|1996 || October 22 || Company || Microsoft launches [[Expedia]], an online travel company, as its first Internet property.<ref name="MyUser_Expediainc.com_January_20_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.expediainc.com/about/history/ |title=Expedia, Inc. History - Expedia, Inc. |newspaper=Expediainc.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 20, 2016}}</ref>

|1997 || August 6|| Competition, Partnerships || [[Apple Inc]] announces that it will enter in a partnership with Microsoft. Microsoft releases [[Microsoft Office]] for Macintosh, ships [[Internet Explorer]] as the default browser for the Macintosh, and invests $150 million in Apple.<ref name="WiredApple">{{cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/08/dayintech_0806/ |title=Aug. 6, 1997: Apple Rescued — by Microsoft |newspaper=Wired.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

| 1998 ||June 25|| Products || Microsoft releases [[Windows 98]].<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref> It includes support for USB devices, back and forward navigation buttons, the address bar in Windows Explorer, and the Windows Driver Model.

|1998 || May 18 || Legal || [[United States v. Microsoft Corp.]], an [[Antitrust]] trial, begins against Microsoft, with the [[US Department of Justice]] suing Microsoft for illegally thwarting competition in order to protect and extend its software (for reasons including bundling Internet Explorer with Microsoft Windows and requiring personal computer manufacturers to agree to adopt a uniform "boot-up" or "first screen" sequence specified by Microsoft).<ref name="MyUser_Justice.gov_January_25_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.justice.gov/archive/atr/public/press_releases/1998/1764.htm |title=Justice Department Files Antitrust Suit Against Microsoft for Unlawfully Monopolizing Computer Software Markets |newspaper=Justice.gov |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|1999 || July 22 || Products || Microsoft releases [[MSN Messenger]], an IM client.<ref name="MSNMessenger">{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/1999/07/21/microsoft-launches-msn-messenger-service/ |title=Microsoft Launches MSN Messenger Service |newspaper=Microsoft News Center |date= July 21, 1999 |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2000 || January 13 || Team || Bill Gates hands over his CEO position to [[Steve Ballmer]].<ref name="CNNBalmer">{{cite web |url=http://money.cnn.com/2000/01/13/technology/microsoft/ |title=Microsoft promotes Ballmer - Jan. 13, 2000 |newspaper=CNN |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2000 || September 14 || Product || Microsoft releases [[Windows ME]].<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref> It has improved support for digital media.  

|2001 || May || Acquisitions || Microsoft acquires [[Ensemble Studios]].<ref name="Ensemble">{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2001/05/03/microsoft-reaches-agreement-to-acquire-ensemble-studios/ |title=Microsoft Reaches Agreement to Acquire Ensemble Studios |newspaper=Microsoft News Center |date= May 3, 2001 |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2001 ||October 25 || Products || Microsoft releases [[Windows XP]].<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|2001 ||November 15|| Products || Microsoft launches the first [[Xbox]].<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|2002 || February 13 || Products || Microsoft launches the [[.NET]] initiative, which creates an entirely new API for Windows programming, and includes a new programming language [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]].<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|2002 || November 1 || Legal || The [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] reaches an agreement with Microsoft to settle the [[United States v. Microsoft Corp.]] case. The proposed settlement required Microsoft to share its [[Application Programming Interface|application programming interfaces]] with third-party companies and appoint a panel of three people who will have full access to Microsoft's systems, records, and source code for five years in order to ensure compliance. <Ref Name="MSCourtSettlement">[http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f200400/200457.pdf "United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Microsoft Corporation, Defendant", Final Judgement], Civil Action No. 98-1232, November 12, 2002. (Archive at http://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1298667420478033)</ref>

|2003 || June 23 || Products || Microsoft announces [[Windows Mobile]].<ref name="TIMELINE2">{{cite web |url=http://www.thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company_part2.htm |title=microsoft's timeline from 1991 - 20058 |newspaper= |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|2006 ||May 14 || Company || Microsoft launches [[adCenter]], an online advertising service that provides [[pay per click]] advertising. Until then, all the ads displayed on the MSN search engine were supplied by Overture (and later Yahoo!).<ref name="MyUser_Old.seattletimes.com_January_20_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2002970721_microsoft04.html |title=The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Microsoft's adCenter is Google, Yahoo! rival |newspaper=Old.seattletimes.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 20, 2016}}</ref>

|2007 || January 30 || Product || Microsoft releases [[Windows Vista]] to the general public.<ref>{{cite web

|2008 || June || Team || [[Bill Gates]] retires as chief software architect and devotes more of his time to philanthropy.<ref name="MyUser_The_Daily_Telegraph_January_17_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/bill-gates/10616991/Bill-Gates-a-history-at-Microsoft.html |title=Bill Gates: a history at Microsoft |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date= February 4, 2014 |author= |accessdate= January 17, 2016}}</ref>

| 2008 || September 2 || Competition || [[Google]] launches [[Google Chrome]], a browser that would cut into the [[web browser]] operating share of [[Internet Explorer]].<ref name="MyUser_The_Guardian_January_25_2016c">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/pda/2008/sep/02/googlejoinsthebrowserwars |title=Google joins the browser wars with Chrome |newspaper=The Guardian |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2009 || October 22 || Products || Microsoft launches [[Windows 7]] to the general public.<ref name="Win7">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/oct/22/windows-7-review |title=Windows 7 review: like Vista, but good |newspaper=The Guardian |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 24, 2016}}</ref>

|2009 || May 28 || Products || Microsoft unveils Microsoft [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]], a search engine to replace MSN.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/may09/05-28NewSearchPR.mspx?rss_fdn=Press%20Releases |title=Microsoft’s New Search at Bing.com Helps People Make Better Decisions: Decision Engine goes beyond search to help customers deal with information overload |publisher=Microsoft |accessdate=29 May 2009}}</ref>

|2010 || February || Products || Microsoft launches [[Microsoft Azure]], its foray into [[cloud computing]].<ref name="avail">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2010/02/01/windows-azure-general-availability.aspx |title=Windows Azure General Availability | work = The Official Microsoft Blog |publisher=Microsoft |date=2010-02-01 |accessdate=2013-05-28}}</ref>

|2010 || March || Competition || [[Google]] lifts censorship on issues sensitive to the Chinese government, and is blocked by China, allowing the way for domination by alternative search engines, including [[Baidu]].<ref name="GoogleCensor">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2010/mar/22/google-china-live |title=Google stops censoring Chinese search engine: How it happened |newspaper=The Guardian |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2010 || November || Products || Microsoft announces [[Windows Phone]], a family of [[mobile operating systems]] as the replacement successor to [[Windows Mobile]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/26/microsoft-prepping-windows-phone-7-for-an-october-21st-launch/ |title= Microsoft prepping Windows Phone 7 for an October 21 launch? (update: US on Nov. 8?) |first= Sean |last= Hollister |work=[[Engadget]] |publisher= [[AOL]] |date= September 26, 2010 |accessdate=September 29, 2010}}</ref>

|2011 || May 10 || Acquisitions || Microsoft acquires [[Skype]] for $8.5 billion.<ref>{{cite web | last = Swisher | first=Kara | url=http://kara.allthingsd.com/20110509/microsoft-will-announce-acquistion-of-skype-tomorrow-morning/ | title = Microsoft to Announce Skype Acquisition Early Tomorrow Morning &#124; Kara Swisher &#124; BoomTown &#124; AllThingsD | publisher=Kara.allthingsd.com |date=|accessdate=11 May 2011}}</ref>

|2012 || October 26 || Products || Microsoft launches [[Microsoft Surface]], a series of Windows-based personal computing devices designed and manufactured by Microsoft under its hardware division.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://notebookbee.com/184/microsoft-launch-windows-8-surface-rt-tablet-october-25-midnight|title=Microsoft to launch Surface at midnight on October 26th|work=NotebookBee.com|date=October 5, 2012}}</ref>

|2013 || September || Acquisitions || Microsoft acquires [[Nokia]] in an attempt to expand its presence in mobile.<ref name="VergaNokia">{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/2/4688530/microsoft-buys-nokias-devices-and-services-unit-unites-windows-phone |title=Microsoft buying Nokia's phone business in a $7.2 billion bid for its mobile future |newspaper=Theverge.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 20, 2016}}</ref>

| 2013 || December 13 || Competition || [[Valve Corporation]] announces [[SteamOS]], an operating system to compete with Windows.<ref name="MyUser_Kotaku.com_January_25_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/valve-announces-steam-os-1371869324 |title=Valve Announces Steam OS |newspaper=Kotaku.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2014 || February 4 || Team || [[Satya Nadella]] succeeded [[Steve Ballmer]] as CEO of Microsoft.<ref name="SatyaCEO">{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2014/02/04/microsoft-board-names-satya-nadella-as-ceo/ |title=Microsoft Board names Satya Nadella as CEO |newspaper=Microsoft News Center |date= February 4, 2014 |author= |accessdate= January 25, 2016}}</ref>

|2014 || April || Products || Microsoft announces [[Cortana (software)]], an intelligent personal assistant.<ref name=street>{{cite news|last=Lau|first=Chris|title=Why Cortana Assistant Can Help Microsoft in the Smartphone Market|url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/12534433/1/why-cortana-assistant-can-help-microsoft-in-the-smartphone-market.html|newspaper=The Street|date=March 18, 2014}}</ref>

|2014 || September || Company || Microsoft reassigns half of its staff in [[Microsoft Research]] to a new group called MSR NeXT, to focus on products with greater impact to the company rather than pure research.<ref name="MyUser_Bloomberg.com_January_26_2016c">{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-microsoft-research/ |title=How Microsoft Plans to Beat Google and Facebook to the Next Tech Breakthrough - Bloomberg Business |newspaper=Bloomberg.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 26, 2016}}</ref>

|2014 || September || Products || The [[Windows Insider|Windows Insider program]] is announced, which allows users to test Windows 10 and provide feedback to Microsoft developers.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Protalinski|first1=Emil|title=Microsoft Announces Windows 10|url=https://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2014/09/30/microsoft-announces-windows-10/|website=The Next Web|accessdate=27 January 2017|date=30 September 2014}}</ref> As of 2015, the program had over 7 million users.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Callaham|first1=John|title=Microsoft's Windows Insider program now has over 7 million users|url=http://windowscentral.com/microsofts-windows-insider-program-now-has-over-7-million-users|website=Windows Central|accessdate=27 January 2017|date=4 September 2015}}</ref>

|2015 || January 21 || Products || [[HoloLens]], the world's first [[holographic]] headset is announced and Microsoft announces that [[Windows 10]] will be a free upgrade for customers with [[Windows 7]], [[Windows 8.1]] or [[Windows Phone 8.1]] (excluding enterprise).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Savov|first1=Vlad|title=Microsoft announces Windows Holographic with HoloLens headset|url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/21/7867593/microsoft-announces-windows-holographic|website=[[The Verge]]|publisher=[[Vox Media]]|accessdate=13 January 2017|date=21 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Rigby|first1=Bill|title=Windows 10 Will Be A Free Upgrade|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/21/microsoft-windows-10-free_n_6517306.html|accessdate=13 January 2017|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=21 January 2015}}</ref>

|2015 || July 29 || Products || Microsoft releases [[Windows 10]] - what it describes as its "last operating system" - and which acts as an "universal" application architecture across multiple Microsoft product families.<ref name=release-date>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2015/06/01/hello-world-windows-10-available-on-july-29/|title=Hello World: Windows 10 Available on July 29|work=windows.com|accessdate=June 1, 2015|date=June 1, 2015}}</ref>

|2015 || September 23 || International || Microsoft announces partnership with [[Baidu]], making [[Baidu]] the default homepage for users of its [[Microsoft Edge]] browser in China, and which introduces Baidu search applications to [[Windows 10]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/23/9389155/microsoft-baidu-partnership-windows-10-china |title=Microsoft makes Baidu a big piece of Windows 10 in China |newspaper=Theverge.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= January 20, 2016}}</ref>

|2015 || October 26 || Retail || The first flagship [[Microsoft Store]] opens in [[New York City]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Blumenthal|first1=Eli|title=As Microsoft opens New York flagship, focus is on its products|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/10/25/nyc-microsoft-store-launch/74579014/|accessdate=13 January 2017|work=[[USA Today]]|date=25 October 2016}}</ref>

|2015 || November 19 || Company || Microsoft, alongside [[ARM Holdings]], [[Dell]], [[Intel]], [[Cisco Systems]], and [[Princeton University]], founded the [[OpenFog Consortium]], to promote interests and development in [[fog computing]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/janakirammsv/2016/04/18/is-fog-computing-the-next-big-thing-in-internet-of-things/2/#1971ac3a34c9|title=Is Fog Computing the Next Big Thing in the Internet of Things|last=Janakiram|first=MSV|date=18 April 2016|work=Forbes Magazine|access-date=18 April 2016|via=}}</ref>

|2016 || February 3 || Acquisitions || Microsoft announced to buy [[SwiftKey]], a startup based out of London that makes keyboard apps for Android and iOS devices.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/03/microsoft-confirms-swiftkey-acquisition-for-250m-in-cash/|title=Microsoft Confirms SwiftKey Acquisition (For $250M In Cash)|publisher=TechCrunch.com|date= February 3, 2016 |author= |accessdate= February 3, 2016}}</ref>

|2016 || February 24 || Acquisitions || Microsoft announces to buy [[Xamarin]], a company that allows developers to build fully native apps across several platforms from a single shared code base.<ref name="MyUser_Theverge.com_January_20_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/24/microsoft-is-buying-mobile-cross-platform-development-company-xamarin/ |title=Microsoft Is Buying Mobile Cross-Platform Development Company Xamarin |website=TechCrunch.com |date=February 24, 2016 |first=Lucas|last=Matney |accessdate= February 24, 2016}}</ref>

| 2016 || June 13 || Acquisitions || Microsoft announces the acquisition of [[LinkedIn]] at $26.2 billion ($60 per user).<ref name="MyUser_Financial_Times_June_13_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.microsoft.com/firehose/2016/06/13/microsoft-to-acquire-linkedin/#sm.00019eofl7hnofn1z7w2kfef67oxf |title=Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn - The Fire Hose |newspaper=Financial Times |date= June 13, 2016 |author= |accessdate= June 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="MyUser_Theverge.com_June_13_2016c">{{cite web |url=http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/13/11920072/microsoft-linkedin-acquisition-2016 |title=Microsoft to acquire LinkedIn for $26.2 billion |newspaper=Theverge.com |date=  |author= |accessdate= June 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="MyUser_The_Wall_Street_Journal_June_13_2016c">{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-to-acquire-linkedin-in-deal-valued-at-26-2-billion-1465821523 |title=Microsoft to Acquire LinkedIn for $26.2 Billion |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=  |author= |accessdate= June 13, 2016}}</ref>

|2016|| October 26 || Products ||The [[Surface Studio]] and [[Surface Dial]] are announced<ref>{{cite web|last1=Baig|first1=Edward|title=Microsoft Surface Studio turns PC into draft tablet: First look|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2016/10/26/microsoft-surface-studio-turns-pc-into-draft-tablet-first-look/92764984/|website=[[USA TODAY]]|accessdate=27 November 2016|date=26 October 2016}}</ref>

| 2016 || November 2 || Products || [[Microsoft Teams]], a cloud-based team collaboration tool, is launched as part of [[Office 365]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Heater|first1=Brian|title=Hands-on with Microsoft Teams|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/11/02/teams-hands-on/|website=[[TechCrunch]]|accessdate=27 November 2016|date=2 November 2016}}</ref>

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Technology company timelines|Microsoft]]

[[Category:Microsoft]]