Microsoft is 'world's most engaging online property'

Web surfers spent more time on websites owned and operated by computing giant Microsoft than any other company in the world during September, a new study reveals.

Figures from digital media analysts comScore reveal 15 per cent of web surfing time throughout the month was spent on Microsoft websites such as MSN messenger, while just 9.3 per cent of users' time was spent on sites run by search engine giant Google.

Use of MSN messenger outdid usage of video-sharing website YouTube, while twice as many hours were spent on MSN than on the popular social networking website Facebook.

Despite this, however, Facebook showed the most dramatic expansion, with year-on-year growth of 193 per cent.

The popularity of MSN messenger suggests the importance of the internet as a tool enabling people to communicate cheaply with each other, something that is also possible using applications such as VoIP solutions.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates recently stepped down from the day-to-day running of the company to focus on his extensive philanthropic activities.