Fresh look

Aug. 23: Microsoft unveiled a new look this morning as it prepared for a torrent of product launches and updates.

“It’s been 25 years since we’ve updated the Microsoft logo and now is the perfect time for a change,” the company said in a blog post. “This is an incredibly exciting year for Microsoft as we prepare to release new versions of nearly all of our products.”

The company said that with so many new products and updates coming up, Microsoft is entering a new era and needs a new logo to symbolise that. The new look includes coloured squares adapted from the company’s Windows logo and removes the italic and bold font from the Microsoft name.

“Fully implementing a change like this takes time, so there may be other instances where you will see the old logo being used for some time,” the blog post says. The company also said the logo is already displayed at some of its retail stores, and it will be featured on future TV ads.

Microsoft unveiled the new logo at three stores in Boston and the Seattle area. The redesign comes as Microsoft prepares to release a dramatic makeover of Windows and a tablet computer called Surface.