Microsoft ‘bent’ on success
Microsoft says that it is "hell bent" on success in the online advertising realm - identifying it as a critical sector if it hopes to deliver "superior financial returns in the future".
The company’s chief executive, Steve Ballmer, made the claims at Microsoft’s annual financial analyst meeting in Washington state.
He defended the company against claims that its forays in digital devices and online advertising were costly and unnecessary, saying that it is committing the manpower and money necessary to give it equivalent levels of dominance in the two sectors as to that it currently enjoys in the PC and server software industries.
"We’re bringing the same kind of vision and tenacity that are in our DNA and drove us into the enterprise business into consumer devices and online services," Mr Ballmer commented.
"We need to have this business outlet for our software creativity to continue to grow, to continue to innovate and to continue to be relevant."
Microsoft is currently a distant third behind Google and Yahoo in online advertising - and so it has focused on acquisitions, such as a $6 billion deal to acquire aQuantive, to make up ground.
