14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft will launch new versions of its most important products next month, along with new devices that are expected to attract millions of buyers in every corner of the world.
Steve Ballmer sees 2012 as the most epic year in Microsoft's history, especially because the Redmond-based firm will roll out a new Windows version, the brand new Surface tablet, the Windows Phone and several other services and products.
This fall is clearly a key period for the company and its future, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer, said in an interview with The Seattle Times.
“You know, Windows 95 was certainly the biggest thing in the last 20 years until now. I think Windows 8 certainly surpasses it. It's a little hard to compare things like the founding (of the company) and the introduction of the first popular PC and the system that popularized it, but it's at that scale,” he explained, adding that Windows 8 has all the chances to change the world.
Windows 8 will officially debut on October 26th and will comprise a wide range of improvements, starting with a redesigned UI and ending with performance tools to increase stability and performance.
Windows 8 was developed to suit all needs, says Ballmer, emphasizing that he has absolutely no doubt that this new operating system will be a great success.
“We're trying to really re-imagine the world from the ground up with Windows 8. [...] And then people orient their development schedules around Windows 8 and its new properties and attributes,” Microsoft's CEO said.
In the meantime, Windows 7, another operating system often praised by Ballmer, finally became the most popular operating system on the globe, with a market share of 38.54 percent last month, according to figures released by Net Applications. Windows XP, which was the clear leader since its launch, registered a market share of 38.46 percent.