Why Microsoft Keeps Beating Apple And Google With Windows

Microsoft Windows debuted in 1985 and for the past two decades it has been the dominant PC operating system worldwide. In 2020, Windows had almost 83% market share by unit shipments, while Google Chrome OS had 10% and Apple’s Mac OS had 7%, according to Gartner.

From solitaire to its iconic start button and start up sounds, productivity apps, gaming and corporate computing, Windows changed the way we use computers. The legendary Windows 95 helped propel the company to dominate the market in personal computing. Microsoft has introduced many versions of Windows since its inception with some more memorable than others.

It’s competed with IBM, Apple, and Google for market space. According to Microsoft, there are more than 1.3 billion devices running Windows 10 worldwide on a monthly basis.

Today, Windows only makes up 14% of Microsoft’s business but remains a critical part of it. The company just announced the latest version Windows 11.

CNBC spoke with former Microsoft employees including Terry Myerson, Michael Cherry, Brad Silverberg and Tandy Trower to get a look back at over three decades of Windows.

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Why Microsoft keeps beating Apple and Google with Windows

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[thevexengineer]

who remembers that just a decade ago, putting "computer skills" on your resume would make you stand out as a potentially better job candidate lol

[jmtrad]

If Microsoft didn't missed the timing on smartphones and internet search it would be too powerful.

[acbgames]

Never knew Solitaire was there to practice drag & drop.

[SK-ltso]

I love when company executives state they don't want to leave Windows, because "we would have to retrain our workers", when in reality they don't train anyone to begin with.

[yosfikalqadri]

OS Market share be like: 83% Windows 10% Chrome OS 7% Mac OS

Me watching from my Linux machine: You know, I'm something of a ghost myself

[michaelv]

I remember when Windows 95 debuted, they interviewed an older couple who bought a copy of the program, despite the fact they didn't even own a computer of any kind.

[paisastic]

It's funny how the product was named Windows instead of Gates.

[joeblack]

It's difficult to convey how amazing Win95 was. It was like magic. And the best thing... Progress bars that showed you almost exactly where in a process you were. It's odd that I miss that so much.

[JPPorcaro]

SPOILER: this video NEVER ANSWERS "Why Microsoft keeps beating Apple and Google with Windows"

[themis]

Let's not forget that Microsoft sends updates to both: the legal and pirated versions of Windows.
I don't care if windows gets messy sometimes, but for this, they have my utmost respect.

[theaterofsouls]

that windows 95 start up track though... goosebumps

[smesui]

EXCELLENT ! Brings back memories developing today's technology. I worked as a contractor for Microsoft's Windows 95 support & marketing. Windows 95 was big and changed everything to even now !

Without Windows 95 ۔۔۔ no Windows XP would have happened.

[datagrab]

*Whoa, I didn't know Chrome OS has surpassed MAC OS in terms of shipments?*

[davinp]

Microsoft doesn't limit their OS just one computer which Apple does. Also, the PC is cloned, their are many manufactures of PCs and you can build your own custom PC. Apple does not allow this with the Mac and allow MacOS to be installed on MAC's only. This limits your choices.

[glenfordburrell]

Windows for phones was quite impressionable. Here in the UK we called it "The Brady Bunch Mobile" due to its graphical screen display and its blue, turquoise and purple hues. We were quite surprised that it failed.

[too-da-loo]

What has frustrated me with Microsoft is them adding more junk to each OS and trying to force me to work a certain way. They can't stand the thought that users are different. Windows XP and 7 was great because you could uninstall a lot and start with a nice, simple, clean OS.

[povdgpw]

those youtubers say like the MAC just got 80% of market share. In fact it is 8%. LOL

[beaudene]

I just remember feeding winXP any and every piece of software I could find, and it ate it up! 😋

[Planet]

The windows feature I'm still waiting for is to have programs actually close when I hit the close button without me having to open the task manager and force close them.

[MrVibil]

I felt that Micheal Cherry almost sounded like Bill himself