Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer told investors Wednesday to be patient as the world's largest software company spends time and money developing new products and entering new markets.
Echoing comments made earlier, Ballmer said Microsoft must invest heavily in the opportunities it sees. Even an established product like its flagship Windows operating system, which includes the Internet Explorer browser, "has to be watered periodically," Ballmer said.
"There's a lot of innovation still coming in Internet browsing and hardware," Ballmer told investors at a conference organized by Sanford C. Bernstein and Co. LLC. "If we don't keep Windows fresh, Windows will not continue to flourish." Microsoft is currently working on new versions of its browser, Internet Explorer 7, and operating system, Windows Vista. The consumer version of Vista is expected to hit retail shelves in January.
News source: CNN
