At the end of the 90s, there was a big competition as to who would get the biggest share of the juicy cake known as the internet and carry it not only to personal computers but also to the internet. also into consumer electronic devices. such as televisions, mobile phones, players and more. Of course, Microsoft was also involved in this difficult struggle.

The company, whose CEO and face at the time was Bill Gates, wanted to continue expanding Windows, the goose that laid the golden egg, to more devices. This operating system had a subfamily called Windows CE, which aimed to bring the interactive experience of networking and digital entertainment to consumer electronic devices. beyond personal computers.

Bill Gates and his desire to bring Windows to televisions and other devices

Microsoft had established a strong hold on PCs with its flagship operating system, but the company had always wanted to try its luck with products and services for other devices. In 1997, Panorama was still too early to bring these experiences to television effectively and competently. Very interesting projects like NavioFrom the emblematic Netscape or WebTV, which Microsoft acquired in the same year.

Months before the purchase, Gates participated in an interview for Time magazine; here the media published an article revealing the competitive fire of Microsoft’s co-founder at that time. Looking back, the interview offers us the following: A very interesting view of how the veranda is in terms of the impact of major technology companies and their products and services on the consumer of the time.

Windows CE on a pocket PC. Image: u/beepbeeplookout (Reddit)

Microsoft wanted to conquer televisions years before the televisions we know as Smart TVs today. “The competitive landscape here is weird, from Navio to WebTV,” the businessman said months before purchasing WebTV. After the enthusiastic success of the Netscape browser, all warnings came to Microsoft to develop a similar product. However, in 1996, Netscape also focused on providing networking and entertainment software services specifically to consumer electronic devices with the launch of Navio. The company was founded by IBM, Oracle (which later acquired this part of Netscape), and The four major electronics companies in Japan: Sony, Nintendo, Sega and NEC.

Gates wanted to learn as much as possible about Navio before purchasing WebTV, but admitted in the interview that they had little information about what Netscape was doing with the unit. “You have to pick someone on your team,” Gates told Craig Mundie, who served as a senior and consultant at Microsoft until his retirement from the company in 2014. Gates’ idea here was this: Get all possible information about Navio and follow the progress of this company full time. “They’re the ones I’m worried about. Sega is an investor. “They may want to give us information,” he continued.

msn tv

At the time, Microsoft was almost non-existent in terms of product and service offerings for players, DVDs, Set-top boxes, televisions and others. So with Windows CE, they saw an opportunity to expand this operating system to more devices. In August 1997 the company acquired WebTV as an attempt to bring its services to television. Following this strategy, MSN TV was born in 2001; MSN TV, a set-top box with a keyboard and remote control, allowing users to enjoy many Internet windows on their televisions, was born.

In a report to investors in 1997, Gates envisioned a future in which television was the center of the home. controlling nearly every aspect of the houseOn the other hand, it continues to offer us all kinds of entertainment. This idea of ​​an ecosystem in electronic devices emerged in a context where Windows Mobile or Xbox were starting to become a reality.

Microsoft has invested heavily in Windows CE. They wanted to establish a presence on consumer devices and It didn’t matter to the company that they didn’t receive a penny from him in the early years.. “Our entire relationship with consumer electronics experts is at stake,” Gates said in the interview. “We may be eliminated. The strategic goal here is to introduce Windows CE standards to as many devices as possible. We don’t need to make money in the next few years. We didn’t make any money on the first version of MS-DOS. If you can get into this market for $10, do it.”

Trial time for Microsoft

Many of the ideas put forward during this time did not come to fruition, as we have seen. Many employees from the internal Windows CE team started working on other projects, such as Mediaroom or Xbox. MSN TV said goodbye in 2013 after many years of uninterrupted service.

First decade of the 2000s outside of Microsoft’s operating system for personal computers This was a testing time. and adapting to the technological market where they spent many years until they found the key. However, it is interesting to see how panorama was possible at that time to expand the functions of televisions with the help of the Internet. It was clear that there were still many technological developments ahead of us until smart TVs became a serious segment for the industry.

Cover image | Self installation with FayerWayer and MSN TV

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