Microsoft and Apple have a complex history. The former was founded by Bill Gates, who quickly understood that if he could control the underlying software, he could control the computer revolution. His rival and nemesis, Steve Jobs, was more interested in a holistic experience. He once criticized Windows as having no soul.
In his own work, he tried to elevate the user experience and to make beautiful products. Gates simply wanted to own the world.
When Gates stepped down at Microsoft in 2000, his friend Steve Ballmer took over. And he did some things well, but he was not a visionary.