2006–10: Windows Vista, mobile, and Windows 7

Released in Gregorian calendar month 2007, successive version of Windows, Windows aspect, targeted on options, security, and a redesigned program dubbed Aero.Microsoft workplace 2007, discharged at constant time, featured a "Ribbon" program that was a major departure from its predecessors. comparatively sturdy sales of each titles helped to supply a record profit in 2007. the ecu Union obligatory another fine of €899 million ($1.4 billion) for Microsoft's lack of compliance with the March 2004 judgment on Gregorian calendar month twenty seven, 2008, voice communication that the corporate charged rivals unreasonable costs for key data concerning its workgroup and backoffice servers. Microsoft declared that it had been in compliance which "these fines ar concerning the past problems that are resolved".

2007 conjointly saw the creation of a multi-core unit at Microsoft, as they followed within the steps of server corporations like Sun and IBM.

Bill Gates retired from his role as Chief computer code creator on June twenty seven, 2008, whereas holding alternative positions associated with the corporate additionally to being AN adviser for the corporate on key comes.Azure Services Platform, the company's entry into the cloud computing marketplace for Windows, launched on Gregorian calendar month twenty seven, 2008. On February 12, 2009, Microsoft declared its intent to open a sequence of Microsoft-branded retail stores, and on Gregorian calendar month twenty two, 2009, the primary retail Microsoft Store opened in Scottsdale, Arizona; constant day the primary store opened, Windows seven was formally discharged to the general public. Windows 7's focus was on processing aspect with easy use options and performance enhancements, instead of an oversized remodeling of Windows.

As the smartphone business boomed starting in 2007, Microsoft struggled to stay up with its rivals Apple and Google in providing a contemporary smartphone OS. As a result, in 2010, Microsoft revamped their aging flagship mobile OS, Windows Mobile, substitution it with the new Windows Phone OS; together with a brand new strategy within the smartphone business that has Microsoft operating a lot of closely with smartphone makers, like Nokia, and to supply the same user expertise across all smartphones exploitation Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. It used a brand new program style language, codenamed "Metro", that conspicuously used straightforward shapes, typography and image, and therefore the idea of reductivism.

Microsoft could be a innovation member of the Open Networking Foundation started on March twenty three, 2011. alternative innovation corporations embody Google, horsepower Networking, Yahoo, Verizon, Deutsche Telekom and seventeen alternative corporations. The non-profit-making organization is targeted on providing support for a brand new cloud computing initiative referred to as Software-Defined Networking. The initiative is supposed to hurry innovation through straightforward computer code changes in telecommunications networks, wireless networks, information centers and alternative networking areas.