Microsoft Turns 50: A Celebration of Innovations and Milestones in Tech History

On Friday, April 4, Microsoft Corporation celebrated its 50th anniversary. When it was founded in 1975 in New Mexico, the company consisted solely of its childhood friends and co-founders, Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Over the course of five decades, Microsoft has grown into a massive corporation employing over 250,000 people worldwide and has launched numerous products, ranging from PC software to smart gadgets and gaming consoles.

Microsoft quickly developed a successful business model: after the launch of the first Microsoft BASIC interpreter in 1975, the company adapted it for PC manufacturers. This made Microsoft the first company to create essential software for personal computers.

In 1980, tech giant IBM entered into a contract with Microsoft to supply an operating system for its personal computers. The following year, IBM introduced a new computer equipped with a 16-bit version 1.0 of the MS-DOS operating system, marking Microsoft’s entrance into the operating systems market, where it rapidly became a leader.

In 1985, Bill Gates unveiled the first version of the Microsoft Windows user interface for MS-DOS. At the time, Microsoft marketed Windows as «unique software designed for advanced computer users.»

Windows enabled users to run unrelated programs simultaneously and share data between them, laying the groundwork for modern operating systems and home PC usage.

Microsoft went public in March 1986 on the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York. At its initial offering, the company’s stock was priced at $21 per share, which has since surged to $382 per share over 39 years.

In August 1989, Microsoft released the initial version of its Office suite for Apple’s Mac computers. This package included three applications: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The release of Office 2007 proved to be a major breakthrough for the company, influencing over ten subsequent versions of Office and Windows. Office 2007 also introduced the Office Open XML format, which remains in use in Office’s cloud applications today.

In 1995, Microsoft launched one of the most significant operating systems in history—Windows 95. It introduced the Start button, taskbar, and notification area. Windows 95 established many elements that remain in use today, such as the desktop, File Explorer, My Documents folder, and the Recycle Bin.

Along with Windows 95, the company released its first internet browser, Internet Explorer. In its first five weeks, Windows 95 sold seven million copies and became the world’s most popular operating system. Microsoft spent $1 billion on marketing the operating system, including a commercial featuring the Rolling Stones’ song «Start Me Up,» which highlighted the new Start button.

In November 2001, Microsoft launched its immensely popular gaming console, the Xbox, entering the rapidly growing video game market, which at the time was dominated by companies like Sony and Nintendo.

The Xbox 360, released in May 2005, further solidified Microsoft’s position as a serious competitor in the console market. It featured interchangeable panels for personalization, detachable hard drives of various sizes, and a range of models. The Xbox 360 became the best-selling console in the U.S. and turned titles like Call of Duty 2, Gears of War, and Halo 3 into blockbuster hits.

In October 2008, Microsoft introduced its cloud platform, Azure, marking the company’s entry into cloud computing. Initially referred to by its codename “Project Red Dog,” it was officially launched in 2010 and marketed as the internet version of Windows.

It wasn’t until 2014 that the cloud platform adopted its current name, Microsoft Azure. Since then, it has become Microsoft’s primary service, offering over 600 features in its catalog, including AI capabilities.

The Surface tablet, released by Microsoft in 2012 and running Windows RT, marked Microsoft’s first foray into its own PC line. The initial release included the Surface RT and Surface Pro, with the Surface Book introduced in 2015 and Surface Studio in 2016. The last three devices in the tablet line can run applications intended for PCs.

The Surface Pro 3 stood out with its combination of tablet and laptop functionality, marketed as an alternative to traditional laptops. The success of Microsoft’s innovative design has significantly influenced laptops and tablets released in the last decade.

In 2001, Windows XP was launched, becoming one of the most successful operating systems ever, so much so that it is still used by some ATMs today. Microsoft updated the user interface with a new green-blue theme named Luna.

Other versions of Windows XP were also released, including one tailored for media centers, a special version for tablets, and an x64 version that ushered in the era of 64-bit computing.

Windows 10 was launched in 2015 and remains widely used by many Windows users. While support for Windows 10 may end later this year, countless individuals are expected to continue using it for years to come.

Windows 10 reverted to a traditional desktop interface after Microsoft’s unsuccessful attempts to change the user interface in Windows 8. The company also focused on integrating Cortana, Xbox features, and a universal Windows platform.

Today, Windows 10 is considered one of the best iterations of Microsoft’s operating systems.

In 2023, Microsoft acquired game developer Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, making it the most expensive deal in the tech industry. This acquisition of one of the sector’s leaders positioned Microsoft as the third-largest player in the global gaming market, following Tencent and Sony.

With the acquisition of Activision, Microsoft gained ownership of popular gaming franchises such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Diablo.

In 2019, Microsoft announced a partnership with AI startup OpenAI, investing $1 billion and entering into an agreement for the development of AI-powered supercomputers based on Azure. OpenAI migrated its services to Microsoft Azure, solidifying Microsoft as the preferred partner for the AI developer.

As a result of this collaboration, OpenAI launched the highly popular ChatGPT in 2022, initiating a generative AI boom worldwide.

Microsoft is not resting on its laurels. In 2023, the company released an AI assistant called Copilot, integrating its products and services. This launch further solidified Microsoft’s position in the AI market.

By February 2025, Microsoft made significant advancements in quantum computing by introducing its first quantum computing chip, Majorana 1, developed over two decades. According to the chip developers, they created topological superconductors capable of revolutionizing and advancing quantum computing significantly.

This article can also be read on Finam.ru.