Microsoft engineering groups

This group produces consumer and enterprise experiences, spanning from Windows products and devices to Microsoft 365 productivity subscription solution. Experiences and Devices is led by Rajesh Jha; Windows and Devices is led by Panos Panay; Office Product Group is led by Joe Belfiore; Web Experiences and Advertising is led by Mikhail Parakhin.

{{main|Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Devices}}

Windows is an operating system by Microsoft. Windows is available in different families, catering to different kinds of devices.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/windows-10-will-have-seven-editions-heres-how-to-tell-which-is-for-you/|title=Windows 10 has seven editions – here's how to tell which is for you|date=29 May 2015}}

• Windows NT – Windows 11 is the latest OS in this family. It is designed for use in personal computers, 2-in-1 PCs and tablets. As of 2020, Microsoft Windows retained around 75% market share in personal computers and 2-in-1 PCs combined.{{cite web|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/desktop/worldwide/#monthly-202012-202012-bar|title=Desktop Operating System Market Share Worldwide}} However, in tablets the market share of Windows is just around 10%.{{Cite news|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/273840/global-market-share-of-tablet-operating-systems-since-2010/|title=Tablet operating systems market share worldwide from 1Q'16 to 4Q'20|newspaper=Strategy-Analytics|access-date=December 31, 2020}}
• Windows IoT – designed specifically for use in IoT scenarios such as on devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user; in particular, home appliances, home automation, auto-motives, industry devices etc.{{cite web|url=http://developer.telerik.com/featured/a-guided-tour-of-windows-10-iot-core/|title=A Guided Tour of Windows 10 IoT Core -|date=15 July 2015}}
• Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Phone and Windows Mobile – designed for smartphones and small tablets. The last OS in this group viz. Windows 10 Mobile includes all basic consumer features, including Continuum capability. These all have been discontinued.{{cite web|url=https://redmondmag.com/articles/2011/06/10/microsoft-phasing-out-windows-mobile-6.aspx|title=Microsoft Phasing Out Windows Mobile 6.x |publisher= Redmondmag.com}}{{cite news|last=Sherman|first=Joshua|title=Goodbye Windows Phone! Windows 10 will take it from here|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/windows-phone-dead-windows-10-instead/|newspaper=Digital Trends|date=30 September 2015}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/windows-10-mobile-features-hardware-death-sentence-microsoft/|title=Windows 10 Mobile gets its final death sentence|last=Reilly|first=Claire|date=2017-10-08|work=CNET|access-date=2017-10-09|language=en}}
• Windows 9x – comprises Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows ME (discontinued).{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/30/AR2006063001587.html|title=Microsoft to End Support Of Old Windows Versions|first=Brian|last=Krebs|date=1 July 2006|via=washingtonpost.com}}
• Windows 1.0, Windows 2.0 and Windows 3.0 – versions of Windows that were launched from MS-DOS and were not stand-alone operating systems (discontinued).
• Xbox One system software – includes all versions of Windows running on Xbox game consoles.{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-10/27/xbox-one-update-november-12|title=The biggest Xbox One update in history finally has a launch date|first=Michael|last=Rundle}}

The Microsoft hardware division is responsible for producing self-branded hardware and various lines of consumer electronics products. They consist of:

• Microsoft Surface – a family of Windows-based personal computing devices, first launched in 2012. It includes the Surface and Surface Pro series of 2-in-1 tablet computers, the Surface Book laptop, the Surface Studio all-in-one PC, and the Surface Hub interactive whiteboard.
• Microsoft HoloLens – a set of augmented reality smartglasses, launched in 2016.{{cite web |title=What Impressed Me the Most About Microsoft's HoloLens |url=https://time.com/4190843/microsoft-hololens-demo-2016/}}
• Xbox – a home gaming console. Many video games for the platform have been developed by the company's Xbox Game Studios subsidiary, in addition to third-party video game publishers such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft. The first generation launched in 2001{{cite web |date=12 May 2013 |title=The History of the Xbox |url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/the-history-of-the-xbox/}} and was succeeded by the Xbox 360 in 2005,{{cite web |title=Midnight Madness Hypes Xbox 360 Launch |url=http://informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=174401045 |access-date=2006-07-03}}{{cite news |date=2005-12-02 |title=Xbox 360 sells out within hours |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4491804.stm |access-date=2006-07-03}} the Xbox One in 2013, and Xbox Series X and Series S in 2020.{{cite web |author=Tor Thorsen |date=2005-11-11 |title=360 to play 200-plus Xbox games |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6139702.html |access-date=2006-07-14 |publisher=GameSpot}}{{cite web |author=Tor Thorsen |date=2005-12-09 |title=360 backward-compatibility update re-released |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6140998.html |access-date=2006-07-14 |publisher=GameSpot}}
• Microsoft also produces and sells mice, keyboards, webcams, headsets, game controllers and wireless display adapters. The production of these accessories is outsourced in most cases.

{{Main|Microsoft 365|Microsoft Office}}

Microsoft Office is a line of office software, provided by Microsoft. Office{{cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2016/01/22/mac-users-can-now-try-out-new-microsoft-office-features-early-with-office-insider-program/|title=Mac users can now try out new Microsoft Office features early with 'Office Insider' program|last=Mayo|first=Benjamin|date=22 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.winbeta.org/news/office-mobile-apps-word-powerpoint-excel-pick-new-updates|title=Office Mobile apps Word, PowerPoint and Excel see new updates arrive in store|date=20 January 2016|publisher=On MSFT}} includes Word (a word processor), Excel (a spreadsheet program), PowerPoint (a presentation software), OneNote (a notetaking program), Outlook (an email program, frequently used with Exchange Server), OneDrive (a cloud storage and file hosting service) and Teams (a unified communication and collaboration platform). It also encompasses other products (not bundled in Office suite) like Microsoft Access, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Visio and Microsoft SharePoint. Web services connected via Microsoft accounts such as Outlook.com (a free web-based service previously branded as Hotmail), Outlook on the web, Sway and To Do are also part of Office.

{{Main|Skype|Skype Technologies}}

Skype{{cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2498484,00.asp|title=Microsoft Brings Skype Closer to Unified Business Communication}} was an application that specializes in providing video chat and voice call services. Users can exchange text and video messages, files and images, and create conference calls. Other applications developed alongside Skype are Skype Translator, Skype Qik and GroupMe. Originally launched in 2003, it was bought by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion,{{cite web|url=https://www.wired.com/2011/05/microsoft-buys-skype-2/|title=Microsoft Buys Skype for $8.5 Billion. Why, Exactly?|last=Bright|first=Peter}} and was retired on May 5, 2025.

{{Main|Microsoft Bing|MSN}}

Bing (known previously as Live Search, Windows Live Search, and MSN Search) is a web search engine (advertised as a "decision engine"{{cite web |title=Welcome to Discover Bing |url=http://discoverbing.com/ |access-date=16 January 2010 |publisher=Discover Bing}}) from Microsoft. {{As of|2018|10|alt=}}, Bing is the third largest search engine globally, with a query volume of 4.58%, behind Google (77%) and Baidu (14.45%).{{Cite web |title=Net Marketshare, Market Share Statistics for Internet Technologies |url=https://www.netmarketshare.com/search-engine-market-share.aspx?options=%7B%22filter%22%3A%7B%22%24and%22%3A%5B%7B%22deviceType%22%3A%7B%22%24in%22%3A%5B%22Desktop%2Flaptop%22%2C%22Mobile%22%5D%7D%7D%5D%7D%2C%22dateLabel%22%3A%22Trend%22%2C%22attributes%22%3A%22share%22%2C%22group%22%3A%22searchEngine%22%2C%22sort%22%3A%7B%22share%22%3A-1%7D%2C%22id%22%3A%22searchEnginesDesktop%22%2C%22dateInterval%22%3A%22Monthly%22%2C%22dateStart%22%3A%222017-10%22%2C%22dateEnd%22%3A%222018-09%22%2C%22segments%22%3A%22-1000%22%7D |website=netmarketshare.com}} A complete list of search offerings from Bing can be found here. Under Bing, below non-search offerings are also listed:

• Bing Ads – an advertising service that provides pay per click advertising on various search engines.{{cite web |title=Here's What's Changing With Bing Ads Now That It Includes AOL |url=http://www.webpronews.com/heres-whats-changing-with-bing-ads-now-that-it-includes-aol-2016-01/}}
• Bing Translator – a statistical machine translation platform and web service.{{cite web |date=24 September 2015 |title=Bing Translator beta app for Windows 10 updated |url=http://wmpoweruser.com/bing-translator-beta-app-for-windows-10-updated/ |publisher=MSPoweruser}}
• Bing Webmaster Tools – an online toolbox that allows webmasters to add their websites to the Bing index crawler.{{cite web |date=8 January 2016 |title=Bing Webmaster Tools Warns of Microsoft Edge Compatibility Issues |url=http://www.thesempost.com/bing-webmaster-tools-warns-of-microsoft-edge-compatibility-issues/}}
• Cortana – an intelligent personal assistant.{{cite web |title=How to Turn On and Use Cortana in Microsoft Edge |url=http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/turn-use-cortana-microsoft-edge}}
• Microsoft Pulse – an audience response system, it has been used by several major news organisations like CNN, Fox and MSNBC.[http://www.windowscentral.com/bing-pulse-real-time-polling-tools-rebranded-microsoft-pulse Bing Pulse real-time polling tools are now Microsoft Pulse real-time polling tools]

MSN is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft. It was launched in August 1995. The current website and suite of apps offered by MSN was first introduced by Microsoft in 2014 as part of a complete redesign and relaunch.{{cite news |last=Bishop|first=Todd |date=September 30, 2014 |title=MSN's rebirth brings Microsoft's new approach into focus |url=http://www.geekwire.com/2014/msns-rebirth-brings-microsofts-new-approach-focus|newspaper=GeekWire|access-date=2014-10-01 }} The redesign of MSN proved positive and helped increase traffic with an additional ten million daily visitors after two months.{{cite news|last=Finney|first=Joseph|title=How has Microsoft's redesign of MSN.com affected daily site traffic?|url=http://www.winbeta.org/news/how-has-microsofts-redesign-msncom-affected-daily-site-traffic|newspaper=WinBeta|date=19 November 2014}} MSN is based in the United States and offers international versions of its portal for dozens of countries around the world.{{cite web |title=MSN Worldwide |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/msn-worldwide|access-date=2015-04-10 }}

== Cloud + AI ==

This group focuses on building the core foundations. It was originally the Cloud and Enterprise group until March 2018, when it was expanded with the Windows core platform team merged into it. Led by Scott Guthrie.

{{main|Microsoft Azure}}

Microsoft Azure{{cite web|url=https://www.nextplatform.com/2016/01/29/inside-microsofts-azure-stack-private-cloud/|title=Inside Microsoft's Azure Stack Private Cloud|date=29 January 2016}} is the company's cloud computing platform that hosts virtual machines, websites and more. It provides both platform as a service (PaaS) and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) services and supports many different programming languages, tools and frameworks, including both Microsoft-specific and third-party software and systems. It was launched in 2010. Within the Azure team

• Business AI
• Universal Store and Commerce
• AI Perception and Mixed Reality
• AI Cognitive Services and Platform

{{main|Microsoft Visual Studio}}

Microsoft Visual Studio{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/11/18/microsoft-open-sources-visual-studio-code-launches-free-visual-studio-dev-essentials-program/|title=Microsoft open-sources Visual Studio Code, launches free Visual Studio Dev Essentials program}} the set of programming tools and compilers. The software product is GUI-oriented and links easily with the Windows APIs but must be specially configured if used with non-Microsoft libraries. Visual Studio supports development for both native Windows platform and .NET Framework. It was launched in 1995.

{{main|Microsoft Dynamics}}

Microsoft Dynamics is a line of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) software applications. Microsoft Dynamics was previously a separate engineering unit until it got reorganised into the Cloud & Enterprise Group in June 2015.{{cite news|last=Foley|first=Mary Jo|title=How Microsoft's latest reorg will affect Dynamics CRM and ERP. Microsoft is bringing its Dynamics CRM and ERP businesses out of their silo and into the company's Cloud and Enterprise unit.|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-microsofts-latest-reorg-will-affect-dynamics-crm-and-erp/|newspaper=ZDNet|date=18 June 2015}}

{{main|Microsoft Servers}}

Microsoft Servers{{cite web |last=Foley |first=Mary Jo |title=Microsoft rolls out its R Server big-data analytics line-up - ZDNet |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-rolls-out-its-r-server-big-data-analytics-line-up/}} (previously called Windows Server System) is a brand that encompasses Microsoft's server products. This includes the Windows Server editions of the Microsoft Windows operating system itself, as well as products targeted at the wider business market.{{cite news |last=Markoff |first=John |date=31 January 2016 |title=Microsoft Plumbs Ocean's Depths to Test Underwater Data Center |work=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/01/technology/microsoft-plumbs-oceans-depths-to-test-underwater-data-center.html}} Microsoft's server products are further categorized into four groups namely, Operating systems, Productivity, Security and Microsoft System Center. A complete listing of product offerings can be found here.

In July 2016, Microsoft moved the Windows Server team and its related products to the Windows and Devices Group, further justifying one Windows core across all platforms.{{Cite web |last=Foley |first=Mary Jo |title=Microsoft to move Windows Server engineering team into Windows and Devices Group |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-to-move-windows-server-engineering-team-into-windows-and-devices-group/ |access-date=2016-11-29 |website=ZDNet}}

{{Main|Project Natick}}

In 2016, Microsoft made plans to operate an experimental underwater server farm off the coast of Orkney. The nitrogen-atmosphere enclosed server farm was actually moved into position under the sea in May 2018, and included 855 servers. Powered exclusively by electricity from the Sun and wind, the server farm operated for two years, until May 2020, when the experiment ended, the enclosed tube was recovered, and brought to the surface for analysis. Preliminary results showed only 8 of the 855 servers failed during the two-year test, a failure rate of just 1/8 that of Microsoft's above ground server farms.{{cite news |last=Cellan-Jones |first=Rory |date=14 September 2020 |title=Microsoft's underwater data centre resurfaces after two years |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/technology-54146718 |access-date=15 September 2020}}{{update after|2019|09}}

This group was created in September 2016 to emphasize the company's presence on artificial intelligence. It was formed when parts of the former Apps and Services group came together with the research team to form a fourth engineering group.{{Cite news|url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/3126345/emerging-technology/the-reasoning-behind-microsofts-new-ai-and-research-group.html|title=The reasoning behind Microsoft's new A.I. and Research Group|last=Linke|first=Rebecca|newspaper=Computerworld|access-date=2016-10-27}} Led by Harry Shum.

{{Main article|Microsoft Research}}

Microsoft Research was created with the intent to advance state of the art computing and solve difficult world problems through technological innovation in collaboration with academic, government, and industry researchers.

• Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit
• Microsoft Press

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://news.microsoft.com/2015/06/17/microsoft-aligns-engineering-teams-to-strategy/ Microsoft aligns engineering teams to strategy News Center - Microsoft aligns engineering teams to strategy]

{{Microsoft}}

Category:Microsoft divisions