I think this is not correct. Microsoft spends a lot in R&D. According to this [1] (as of d 3/21/2012):
The top 10 companies and the amount they spend on R&D
(in billions) in the past 12 months were, according to
S&P Capital IQ:
• Microsoft (MSFT): $9.4
• Pfizer (PFE): $8.4
• Intel (INTC): $8.4
• Merck (MRK): $8.3
• Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): $7.5
• International Business Machines (IBM): $6.3
• Cisco Systems (CSCO): $5.6
• Google (GOOG): $5.2
• Eli Lilly (LLY): $5.0
• Oracle (ORCL): $4.4
Apple is 18th on the list, spending $2.6 billion, behind other
technology giants such as Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Cisco, Oracle,
Qualcomm, Hewlett-Packard and Amazon.com. Apple's R&D spending
as a percentage of its revenue of $127.8 billion was 2%.
