The CEO of Microsoft noted that Intel and Apple are key factors in the company's success in Redmond.

Microsoft acknowledges the role of Intel and Apple in the success of Windows and Office

CEO Satya Nadella, in a recent interview for Morgan Stanley, expressed gratitude to Intel and Apple for their contributions to the development of Microsoft’s key products. He emphasized that competition with these giants played a decisive role in the company’s early stages.

From doubts to a global leader
Bill Gates, co‑founder of Microsoft, once said that by the end of the 1990s the company seemed not very successful and even close to collapse. Nevertheless, thanks to Windows and Office, which became the foundation of the business long before the wave of artificial intelligence, Microsoft turned into one of the largest Fortune 500 companies with a market capitalization of about $3.05 trillion.

Impact of competitors
Nadella recalled the “Wintel” era when MS‑DOS was specifically developed for the IBM PC on Intel processors. Since then Windows has become the standard OS for home PCs based on Intel processors. He noted that many strategic mistakes arose because the company did not see in others’ success an opportunity for its own growth.

> “If it weren’t for Intel, Windows might never have appeared; if not for Mac, Office could have gone unnoticed,” he said. He stresses that it is important to look for “situations with non‑zero value” – places where real benefit can be added for customers.

Origins of Excel and Word
The expert also reminded that the first versions of Excel and the graphical version of Word initially appeared on Apple Mac platforms. This was because the early Apple System 1 graphical OS was more user‑friendly compared to Windows 1.0.

New focus at Microsoft
Nadella admitted that the company’s modern vision deviates from Bill Gates’ original idea of a “software factory.” Today the emphasis is on security, quality, and business transformation through artificial intelligence – these areas have become key for Microsoft.

Apple continues to promote Office
In a recent announcement of the new MacBook Neo priced at $599, Apple highlighted Word, PowerPoint, and Excel as the most popular applications in its commercial video. This confirms the ongoing dominance of Microsoft’s office suite in boosting user productivity.