The issue focused on Japanese robots but technology issues also faced American robotics firms in China. As machines continue to evolve and engineers seek ways to replicate human capabilities, technological advances could spell trouble for global electronics giants such as IBM and Hitachi.

Despite Microsoft's hardware successes in smartphones and tablets, software remains its bread and butter. Software sales accounted for 42 percent of Microsoft's revenue last year, compared with 31 percent for hardware. Still, Windows PCs account for almost half of Microsoft's revenues worldwide.White Power