Microsoft Bucks Up Hiring, R&D Spending In China

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Microsoft (MSFT) plans to hire more than 1,000 new employees in China over the next year, adding to the 4,500 staffers it already has there, and boost its research and development spending in the country by 15%.

Microsoft executives announced the moves Thursday to better compete with Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) in China's fast-growing mobile Internet market, the Associated Press reported. Microsoft is pushing its Windows Phone 8 operating system as an alternative to Apple's iPhone and Google's Android operating system, but it's coming late to the market. Nearly 400 million people in China surf the Web on their mobile phones and other devices, AP says.

Microsoft said the new employees would be spread across R&D, marketing and customer service, AP reported. Microsoft will increase its research and development spending in China by 15% over last year's $500 million. Plus, Microsoft is building a large cloud computing center in Shanghai that will employ around 600, Reuters said.

Microsoft is struggling to increase its sales in China, a market where software piracy is rampant, Reuters reported.

Microsoft shares were up nearly 3% in early afternoon trading Thursday.

RELATED: Microsoft Faces Make-Or-Break Year For Smartphones.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InternetTechnologyRss/~3/hVtVjQ28e7A/microsoft-hikes-staffing-spending-in-china.htm

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