Will Windows 8 Make a Difference?
Will Windows 8 Make a Difference? by UCStrategies Staff
Just a month after its release, Windows 8 is being described by many industry analysts as a flop, however, others believe there is still time for Microsoft’s new operating system to stand out from its predecessor.
According to NetApplications statistics, desktop computers running Windows 8 garnered only one percent of the market share and Windows 8 tablets failed to gain a share at all.
The more optimistic analysts point out that these figures were released just 18 days after Windows 8's official release, so the story is far from over.
There are several factors which may help Windows 8 gain a bigger market share over the next twelve months.
Advertising – Microsoft is spending $1 billion to advertise the new operating system. It is also promoting Windows Phone 8 with the help of celebrities including Saturday Night Live cast member Andy Samberg, actress Jessica Alba and singer Gwen Stefani.
Slow but steady – Gartner research predicts that although in 2012 Microsoft may see sales of only 3.8 million units, this could increase to 21 million units by the end of the following year. Gartner also says that many businesses are going to be cautious about adopting Windows 8, and many are still in transition from XP to Windows 7. According to Forrester analyst David Johnson, a mere 4 percent of companies surveyed are planning to make the transition to Windows 8 in the next 12 months.
New User Interface – the Windows 8 user interface may take some getting used to. The switch from Windows 7 will require businesses to pay additional costs for employee training and support. But Microsoft is confident that the new interface and the addition of improved management and security features, as well as Office productivity software suite will gradually catch on.
Windows Pro 8 – the initial devices to reach the market were running Windows RT, this is the version of Windows for devices running ARM processors. Window Pro 8 is designed for devices running Intel x86-style processors and is due for release in January 2013.
2012 has been a busy year for Microsoft, with several product launches including Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Office 365, Windows Server 2012, Office 2013, as well as its first tablet. Windows still has a hold on 92 percent of the market for desktop operating systems. Although their hold on the mobile/tablet market may currently be minimal, there is plenty of time for improvement. (CU) Link