Microsoft India
The company churned maximum benefits from its flagship software products business, followed by its services, search online advertising business and mobile devices and accessories business. The company recorded about 8% growth in FY 2016-17 to ` 9,550 Crore as compared to ` 8,786 Crore in FY 2015-16. India-born Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is often being credited for its increased focus on India market. The focus could be seen around its cloud offerings such as Office 365 and Azure. Microsoft cloud platform saw huge traction with HDFC, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Fortis Healthcare and Apollo Hospitals roping in its cloud platform.
Among e-commerce players, Paytm, JustDial and Snapdeal are using Microsoft’s machine learning technologies and digital assistant Cortana.
In addition, Microsoft has also invested up to $50-100 million in cab aggregator Ola’s parent company ANI Technology Pvt Ltd, which would enable the latter to move on to Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform.
The software giant had signed a strategic cloud pact with e-commerce player Flipkart. Recently, Microsoft also announced an enterprise-based messaging product called Kaizala Pro. Kaizala Pro is customized for the Indian market and is available on iOS and Android as a messaging app. The messaging platform can be integrated with Office 365.
It has collaborated with the Andhra, Telangana state governments, the Election Commission and Niti Aayog for testing the app Kaizala.
Globally, the company handed over pink slips to 3,000-4,000 employees, which impacted the India operations to certain extent.
Nadella is also stressing on artificial intelligence (AI) and how it can automate routine work, spanning across various segments.
As a part of AI, the company claims it has brought in handwriting recognition in Windows 10, facial recognition in Windows Hello feature, voice recognition of Cortana, language translation in Skype and the input recognition in the SwiftKey keyboard on iOS or Android devices.
The company is in the process of developing machine-learning software and tools that could embed artificial intelligence (AI) onto computer processors. “We are moving from what is today’s mobile-first, cloud-first world to a new world that is going to be made up of an intelligent cloud and intelligent edge,” Nadella had said.