Microsoft debuts new logo

First in 25 years.

Microsoft has unveiled a new logo for the first time in 25 years, as part of an effort to unify its branding as it prepares to launch a new range of products.

The new company-wide logo resembles the Windows symbol, introducing four squares of colour next to a new, plainly-represented Microsoft name. The red, blue, yellow and green tiles used in the Windows flag-style branding sit square rather than in a curve in the new design.

Microsoft's previous logo was rendered in black and italics. 

Microsoft said in a statement the logo change represented a new beginning for the company, leading one of the "most significant waves of product launches in Microsoft's history".

"It's been 25 years since we've updated the Microsoft logo and now is the perfect time for a change," said Jeff Hansen, the company's brand manager, in a blog on Microsoft's website.

"This wave of new releases is not only a reimagining of our most popular products, but also represents a new era for Microsoft, so our logo should evolve to visually accentuate this new beginning."

The new design is already in use on Microsoft's website.

Microsoft is just a few months away from revealing its much-hyped Windows 8 operating system, which will work over PCs, tablet and smartphones. At the same time, it will launch its first home-grown assault on the tablet market with its own Surface product.