Revealing plans for the overhaul the company’s chief executive Steve Ballmer said that it would become more streamlined around devices such as phones, games consoles and services. The move comes amid a decline in demands for personal computers, as consumers turn to tablets and other mobile devices.
In a world where more people are using mobile devices and web-based services, Microsoft wants to see more of its products used on devices besides personal computers. "Although we will deliver multiple devices and services to execute and monetise the strategy, the single core strategy will drive us to set shared goals for everything we do. We will see our product line holistically, not as a set of islands," Mr Ballmer said.
The "One Microsoft" strategy would seek to bring together diverse areas such as Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox, Surface, Office 365 and others. "Today's announcement will enable us to execute even better on our strategy to deliver a family of devices and services that best empower people for the activities they value most and the enterprise extensions and services that are most valuable to business," Mr Ballmer continued.
While it remains the dominant PC software firm, in the fast-growing mobile sector, Microsoft is behind players such as Apple and Google, which sell devices and make the operating systems for tablets and smartphones.
"Going forward we will strive for a single experience for everything in a person's life that matters. One experience, one company, one set of learnings, one set of apps, and one personal library of entertainment, photos and information everywhere. One store for everything,” Mr Ballmer added.
