According to US press reports, Microsoft officials have been in touch with real estate brokers that have worked on transactions in the landmark area. Microsoft has requested information on One Times Square, the building made famous as the spot where the New Year's Eve ball drops.
Jeffrey Roseman, a broker with Newmark New Spectrum Retail, the exclusive agent for the property, said that the building's reputation as 'the most famous in the world' made it an obvious target for Microsoft's interest.
There are only a handful of large vacant spaces in Times Square, which is one of the most expensive retail markets in the US.
The computer giant's previous attempt at a small-scale retail store, called MicrosoftSF, opened in 1999 in San Francisco, but closed just three years later.
Microsoft is now thought to be looking for a large space to create a branding experience in a similar vein to Apple's hugely popular stores.
Apple took what was considered by some to be a big risk by branching into retail. The company now has more than 100 regular stores and acclaimed strategic flagships in the US and Europe, including its largest European store on London's Regent Street.
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