worldwide partner conference

The Worldwide Partner Conference is Microsoft's annual event for its partner ecosystem, where the company shares product roadmaps, sales milestones, and strategic updates. Coverage on WindowsForum.com highlights key announcements from the 2011 conference, including Windows 7 surpassing 400 million licenses sold, the first sneak peek at Windows Server 8 with hundreds of new features, and confirmation that Windows 8 would run on all Windows 7-capable hardware. The 2013 conference saw the announcement that Windows 8.1 would be released to manufacturing in late August. The Worldwide Partner Conference serves as a platform for Microsoft to unveil new products, share sales data, and align partners on future directions.