Microsoft today launched Windows Vista for businesses and predicted that by the end of next year more than 200 million people would use the new version of its dominant operating system or new office software and server computer products.
"This is the biggest launch in our company's history. That's for sure," Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said at a presentation in New York.
In a statement, he labeled the three products - Windows Vista, Office 2007 software suite and Exchange server - as "game-changing."
Plagued by a series of development delays, Windows Vista is front and center of the new product cycle at the world's largest software maker and the first major operating system upgrade in five years.
In the first year of release, Vista will be installed on more than 100 million computers worldwide, according to research firm IDC. Windows already runs more than 90 percent of the world's computers.
Microsoft plans to release Vista for retail customers on January 30th. Shares of Microsoft were down 5 cents to $29.52 in morning trade on Nasdaq.