Consumer demand for Windows 7 boosts Microsoft profits

Microsoft announced a 60% increase in profits in its second financial quarter as a result of strong consumer demand for Windows 7, but businesses are still holding back investment.

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In its latest financial quarter Microsoft made a $6.6bn profit with a 14% rise in revenues, which reached $19bn.

It the same quarter last year profits sunk 11% and a redundancy programme - its first ever - was initiated.

"These results were driven in large part by strong consumer demand for Windows 7 in PCs," said Microsoft CFO Peter Klein. "While consumer demand remains healthy, we have not seen a return to enterprise spending growth."

He said that during the end of the second quarter Microsoft sold more than 60 million Windows 7 licences, making it the fastest selling operating system in history.

Microsoft earnings statement for Q2 >>

Windows 7 – a comprehensive guide >>