The US software giant Microsoft has announced plans to slash 18,000 jobs from its global workforce in 2015, the largest cuts in the company’s 39-year history. In a statement on Thursday, the company described the shakeup as part of its strategy to streamline business under new CEO Satya Nadella. Layoffs represent about 14 percent of the company’s workforce and will be completed by next June. Nadella,... 

The US software giant Microsoft has announced plans to slash 18,000 jobs from its global workforce in 2015, the largest cuts in the company’s 39-year history. In a statement on Thursday, the company described the shakeup as part of its strategy to streamline business under new CEO Satya Nadella. Layoffs represent about 14 percent of the company’s workforce and will be completed by next June. Nadella,... 

Microsoft is buying Nokia’s smartphone business and a portfolio of patents and services in an attempt to improve its position in the mobile market and compete with Apple and Google at a time when more people pursue their lives on mobile devices. The $7.2 billion deal announced late on Monday marks a major step in Microsoft’s push to transform itself from a software maker focused on operating... 

The world’s largest software maker announced on Friday that Chief Executive, Steven Ballmer, will retire in the next 12 months. Ballmer will continue as acting CEO and will lead the company until a successor is chosen by the board. Microsoft shares surged 9 percent in premarket trading on the news. “We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction,” Ballmer said in an... 

Microsoft Corp. is in talks to buy Skype Technologies SA to gain the world’s most popular international calling service and its 663 million customers, according to two people familiar with the matter. A deal would value Skype at about $8.5 billion and may be announced as early as today, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private, Bloomberg reports. Analysts... 

Leaked screenshot of future Windows 8 In its most concrete comments yet about the next version of Windows, Microsoft said in a blog post on its Dutch Web site that Windows 8 is about two years from hitting the market. Microsoft is working on the next version of Windows, the blog says in Dutch, but it will be about two years before Windows 8 is on the market. Microsoft’s Dutch subsidiary posted...