Microsoft To Open Retail Stores Near Apple's This Fall

Microsoft fired a new salvo in its ongoing war with Apple by promising to open new Microsoft retail stores close to Apple Stores.
Kevin Turner, Microsoft COO, said during Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference that his company plans to open some retail stores "right next door to Apple Stores" this fall, Reuters reported.

Microsoft said in February that it planned to open a chain of retail stores.

One of its first moves in that push was to hire former DreamWorks Animation and Wal-Mart executive David Porter to fill its newly created position of corporate vice president of retail stores. His hire was effective Feb. 16.

Porter is a 25-year veteran of Wal-Mart. His boss, Turner, spent nearly 20 years at Wal-Mart.

Apple currently has 211 stores in 41 states in the U.S., in addition to a number of stores in the U.K., Japan, Canada, Italy and other countries. A complete list of Apple Stores in the U.S. can be found by clicking here.

Microsoft and Apple have been firing shots at each other in an effort to gain consumer mind share.

In addition to strategizing on retail stores, the two have been hitting each other in advertisements, including Apple's ads featuring John Hodgman as PC and Justin Long as Mac in Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign and Microsoft's more recent "I'm a PC" campaign.