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Thursday, Jul 17, 2008 5:05pm

Microsoft sells 180m of Vis...

Microsoft on Thursday afternoon revealed as part of its latest quarterly results that it has sold 180 million copies of Windows Vista in the roughly 18 months since the operating system's launch in late January 2007. The news comes as Microsoft also reveals that it has earned more than $60 billion in revenue for one fiscal year and notes that its income grew 18 percent over the 12-month span. Unlike some past years, Microsoft credits the success to a broader success that includes Vista alongside the recently-launched Windows Server 2008, Office, various server apps, and the Xbox 360.

The company had a "strong finish" with the spring quarter, according to Microsoft chief financial officer Chris Liddell. It earned just over $15.8 billion in the quarter and grew a proportionate 18 percent for the one quarter versus the same period in 2007.

Microsoft's numbers reveal a relative resurgence in Vista sales over the past two months. While the statistic averages to about 10 million copies of Vista sold each month -- a figure reached just a few months into Vista's existence -- the company as recently as May boasted that it had sold 140 million copies both to PC vendors and end users. This puts Vista sales at about 20 million per month for the past two months and more closely reflects the sales rate Microsoft saw when it first launched the software.

Forecasts from the company also anticipate continued demand for the next fiscal year and would have Microsoft earn between $67.3 billion and $68.1 billion in revenue, or a gain of at least 11 percent.