Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer gave the software company’s final keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday, showcasing his company’s Windows 8 operating system as well as new Windows phones and the latest innovations on the company’s Xbox 360 video console.
The Seattle software giant has been a stalwart of the largest U.S. tech show since 1995 and recently announced that this would be its last year as it focuses on launch events more closely attuned to its own new product cycle.
Mr. Ballmer used the address to show off new phones from Nokia that both companies hope will help them close the gap with iPhone maker Apple Inc. and other rivals like Samsung Electronics Co. whose phones run on Google’s Android operating system.
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Mr. Ballmer also shared new information about the launch of Microsoft’s next operating system Windows 8, a dramatic revamp of the current PC software, which will be released in October. Windows 8 will be the first Microsoft operating system to run on ARM chip architecture, which powers most smartphones, as well as the traditional Intel-based x86 standard, which is optimised for laptops and desktops.
“With Windows 8, we’ve reimagined Windows all the way from the chip set to user experience,” said Mr. Ballmer, adding that it would deliver the “potential of the tablet and the power of the PC.” He also revealed that the Kinect motion-sensing interface for the Xbox 360 video console would be available for Windows 7 in February.