Macintosh Business Unit

Infobox_Company
company_name = Macintosh Business Unit
company_
company_type = Operating unit of Microsoft Corporation
foundation = January 7 1997
location = Redmond, Washington, USA
key_people = Craig Eisler, General Manager
(since June 8 2007cite web | url=http://blogs.msdn.com/macmojo/archive/2007/06/08/hello-from-the-new-general-manager-of-the-macintosh-business-unit-craig-eisler.aspx | title=Hello from the new General Manager of the Macintosh Business Unit - Craig Eisler | author=Craig Eisler | date=June 8, 2007 | accessdate=2007-06-10] )
Roz Ho (previous General Manager)
(December 18 2002 [cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/dec02/12-18MacBUNewGMPR.mspx | title=Microsoft Appoints Seasoned Leader as Macintosh Business Unit General Manager | author=Microsoft | date=December 18, 2002 | work=Microsoft press release | accessdate=2007-02-09] - June 8 2007)

industry = Computer software
products = Microsoft Office
Microsoft Messenger
Remote Desktop Client

revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees = 180 (2005)
homepage = [http://www.microsoft.com/mac/ www.microsoft.com/mac/]

Macintosh Business Unit (informally known as Mac BU or MacBU) is an operating unit of Microsoft Corporation that produces software for the Apple Inc. Macintosh platform. Formed on January 7 1997, [cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1997/Jan97/MACPUPR.mspx | title=Microsoft Announces New Macintosh Product Unit | author=Microsoft | date=January 7, 1997 | work=Microsoft press release | accessdate=2007-02-09] it is today situated within Microsoft's Specialized Devices and Applications Group inside the Entertainment and Devices Division. The Mac BU is one of the largest developers of Macintosh software outside of Apple Inc., [cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/mac/macbu/default.aspx?pid=whoweare | title=Who We Are | work=Microsoft Macintosh Business Unit | accessdate=2007-01-12 ] currently employing more than 180 people and having an estimated yearly revenue of $350 million. [cite web | url=http://bigtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/03/25/microsoft-looks-to-cash-in-on-the-iphone/ | title=Microsoft looks to cash in on the iPhone | author=Jon Fortt | date=March 25, 2008 | work=Fortune: Big Tech Blog | accessdate=2008-04-03 ]

Software

Mac BU currently develops Macintosh versions of Microsoft Office, Microsoft Messenger, and Remote Desktop Client. Other software developed (but no longer maintained) by Mac BU include Internet Explorer (development ceased in 2003), [cite web | url=http://www.microsoft.com/mac/products/internetexplorer/internetexplorer.aspx?pid=internetexplorer | title=Internet Explorer for Mac no longer available for download | author=Microsoft | month=October | year=2006 | work=Microsoft.com | accessdate=2007-03-04 ] Virtual PC, [cite web | url=http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/08/07/vpc/index.php | title=WWDC: Microsoft kills Virtual PC for Mac | author=Peter Cohen | date=August 7, 2006 | work=Macworld | accessdate=2007-03-04] and the MSN for Mac OS X browser (cancelled May 31 2005).

History

Prior to the Mac BU, Microsoft had developed Macintosh software – in fact, dating to 1984 when Microsoft released Word 1.0 for Macintosh. However, with the rise and dominance of Windows in the 1990s, there have been fears that Microsoft might stop developing Macintosh versions of key products, notably Microsoft Office. Thus, Mac BU was established in 1997 with a five-year commitment by Microsoft to continue developing and supporting Macintosh software – a pledge most recently renewed on January 10, 2006 at the Macworld Conference & Expo.

References

* [http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/01/11/microsoft/index.php Macworld Expo San Francisco 2005]

External links

* [http://www.microsoft.com/mac/ Mactopia] – source for Microsoft's Macintosh software (some not developed by the Mac BU)
* [http://www.macworld.com/news/2001/09/24/macbu/index.php A Look at Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit] – a profile of the MacBU by Jim Dalrymple for MacCentral September 24 2001
* [http://davidweiss.blogspot.com/2006/04/tour-of-microsofts-mac-lab.html Virtual Tour of the Mac BU] – photos from the Mac BU at Microsoft posted by Mac BU employee David Weiss on April 19 2006
* [http://blogs.msdn.com/macmojo Mac Mojo - The office for Mac team blog] – MacBu team blog August 2006