Microsoft: Bright Future for Win8, Despite PC Sales
Microsoft says it has sold more than 200 million Windows 8 licenses in just fifteen months.
That means the firm has sold an additional 100 million licenses since the last time Microsoft reported on Windows 8 sales in May 2013. In all, Microsoft says this is evidence that there's a bright future ahead for its newest operating system.
The Windows 8 sales numbers don't quite match those of Windows 7, however. Microsoft sold 240 million Windows 7 licenses in less than a year. (Source: engadget.com)
Of course, Microsoft doesn't want anyone to focus on Windows 7. The firm's executive vice president of marketing, Tami Reller, dropped the Windows 8 sales figure in an appearance at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference.
Windows 8.1: Update 1 - Due April 2014
Reller added a promise that there are "more things coming just around the corner" for Windows 8 users. Many experts believe this will involve Windows 8.1 Update 1, the first major update to Windows 8.1, which was released last fall.
ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley says she's learned from sources inside Microsoft that the Redmond, Washington-based firm plans to release Windows 8.1 Update 1 this coming April. (Source: zdnet.com)
Reller noted that the Windows team is also working hard to fit Windows 8 on smaller devices. In other words, the goal is to make it easier for devices like tablets to run Windows 8 without a visible drop in performance.
Bright Future Ahead for Windows 8?
Microsoft released this statement shortly after Reller made the 200 million licenses sold announcement:
"Windows 8 has surpassed 200 million licenses sold, and we continue to see momentum. This number includes Windows licenses that ship on a new tablet or PC, as well as upgrades to Windows 8. The figure does not include volume license sales to enterprise." (Source: zdnet.com)
Microsoft added that it now believes Windows is a "central part of life" for more than a billion people around the world. With that in mind, the firm says it's "looking forward to the future."
Given the current grim outlook for PC sales, that future could be pretty bleak unless consumers begin buying up Microsoft mobile devices.
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Comments
numbers game
I notice Microsoft talks about licences issued for Windows 8 - not systems put into service. (Like mine; got it for pennies with a closeout Win7 computer, but lack the masochistic urge to ever put it into service). They also don't differentiate between Pro and RT, or tablet and real computer installations. I have seen informal surveys suggesting Win8 is the best OS you can get on a tablet. But on desktops, I last week saw an HP website ad proclaiming "Windows7 is back" and hear Dell has the same, while Tiger Direct was offering new (NOT refurb) ASUS and Lenovo laptops with Windows7 in an ad last week.
Has Microsoft finally smartened up and accepted that if they want to keep their enterprise market, and eventually persuade the 37% of that that vow they will never move from XP, they'd better bite the bullet and offer both 7 and 8 and let the customers buy what best suits their needs.
Numbers Game - New Future for Win8 (Home or Pro)
Sorry but Duh! If support is for all intents going to be pulled on WinXP (Home and Pro), does anyone have a choice? Yes Win7's life expectancy is being bantered about as well, so you might as well bite an evil-tasting bullet if you own a desktop and start using Win8 period. You have no real choice. Would I prefer a WinXP layout but perhaps with the tweeks that have been done to Win8 - Sure!
I think that many people, myself included do not enjoy having my computer OS, turned upside down by Microsoft, just so that they can keep control of what happens so that there are never enought people that can adequately work there way in and about Windows.
If they keep us floundering around trying to figure out what did they do with XXX?, then they will force us to keep buying or keep us dependant on them for any answers.