When it comes to productivity software , Microsoft has long rein the earth with its suite of Office apps like Word , Excel , and PowerPoint . But now , it appear the tech giant will greatly expand its influence on your work and professional life online with its surprise acquisition of LinkedIn .
On Monday sunrise , Microsoftannouncedit would buy the professional net site , which feature some 433 million users , for a staggering$26.2 billion . While that might seem like an harebrained amount of money for a web site that always beleaguer you about endorsements and profile thought , the deal positions Microsoft to fasten its clench on how you work by integrating its software package and enterprise services with LinkedIn ’s massive platform . Basically , the two companies will together organize a productivity , communications , and social networking topnotch - giant that will be as inescapable asLinkedIn ’s ' sum up connections ' electronic mail .
As explained in areportby Engadget , you could expect to see LinkedIn integrated in Microsoft Cartesian product like Skype , Cortana , and of course , Office apps . Or , imagine using Lynda.com ( which LinkedIn take in 2015 ) to learn how to use Microsoft tools and services in gain to its other resource for professional development . In other watchword , if you ’re look for for a chore , interact with your professional meshwork , or work on germinate your career , you ’ll more than likely do those affair via a LinkedIn integrate with Microsoft , giving the troupe the power to directly commercialise its cloud service to you , your squad , and the fellowship you forge for .
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“ The LinkedIn squad has turn a fantastic business centered on connecting the domain ’s professionals , ” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella allege in a press release . “ Together we can accelerate the maturation of LinkedIn , as well as Microsoft Office 365 and Dynamics as we seek to empower every individual and constitution on the satellite . ”
LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner , who will continue to head up the company , further claimed the deal will change the way of life you work :
“ Just as we have change the way the world connect to opportunity , this relationship with Microsoft , and the combining of their cloud and LinkedIn ’s web , now gives us a hazard to also change the way the domain works , ” he say in a statement . “ For the last 13 years , we ’ve been uniquely positioned to connect professional person to make them more productive and successful , and I ’m looking forward to leading our team through the next chapter of our fib . ”
Of course , the learning still needs to be formally approved by shareholders , but Microsoft expect to end the deal by the end of this year . It ’s unclear when you might start noticing new feature and changes on LinkedIn or in your Microsoft apps , but just like the emails asking you to shell out for a LinkedIn Premium rising slope , it ’s probably good to say they ’re descend .