Microsoft once spent $150 million to keep Apple alive, and it wasn't out of kindness

In 1997, Microsoft invested $150 million in Apple through a purchase of non-voting preferred stock, but the deal was far from charitable. Apple, while not literally out of cash, was losing developer and customer confidence rapidly. In exchange for the investment and a five-year commitment to keep Office for Mac current, Apple agreed to make Internet Explorer the default browser on Mac OS, sidelining Netscape Navigator. The deal also settled multiple patent disputes between the two companies. Microsoft used the arrangement to advance its browser distribution strategy against Netscape, protect its Office revenue stream, and demonstrate to antitrust regulators that Windows faced real competition. Jobs framed the deal publicly as Apple moving past old rivalries, but the real story was mutual strategic necessity — Apple bought time and credibility, while Microsoft gained leverage, legal peace, and browser market share.

Source: https://www.xda-developers.com/microsoft-spent-150-million-keep-apple-alive-wasnt-out-kindness. 8 Sync News only summarizes and links out; content copyright belongs to the authors and original sources.