Posted on 01/07/2014 7:50:09 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Regardless of how stalled Microsoft Corporation’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) MSFT +0.69% business seems to Wall Street analysts, the fact of the matter is that this company powers 90.73 percent of the Desktops and Notebooks around the world. Its nearest competitor at second place is Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) AAPL +0.14% Mac operating system which has only 7.54 percent market share.
Microsoft released its latest upgrade to the much discussed Windows 8 operating system, Windows 8.1, in October of 2013. Last month, during December, devices running the Windows 8 and 8.1 crossed over 10 percent market share for the first time. A month earlier, in November, it only had a 9.30 percent market share. Effectively, last month Windows 8.x versions gained over 1.49 percent market share, reported The Next Web.
The gain represents a fundamental shift in the Windows userbase, as Windows XP users were forced to abandon the platform as Microsoft is discontinuing support and security updates for XP from April 8, 2014.
As Windows 8.1 was offered as a free upgrade, it will not provide Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) MSFT +0.69% with any revenue gain. However, discontinuing Windows XP will eventually drive the sales of Windows 8.x operating system further up over the course of next few quarters. Back in the first quarter of 2013, Microsoft’s revenues went up 24 percent (in the first three months) compared to the previous year’s first three months; as Windows 8 sales pushed revenues of the Windows division alone to US$ 5.7 billion from US$ 4.633 billion. However, overall as a company, Microsoft’s revenue has been declining since the start of 2013.
In the third quarter of 2013, Microsoft generated only US$ 18.53 billion revenue from its operations, indeed a sharp decline.
However, Microsoft has maintained profitability since the sharp decline it observed during the first two quarters of 2012. As of the third quarter of 2013, its EBITDA has gone down amid declining operating revenue but earnings per share is still at US$ 0.63.
However, sales estimates are looking good for Microsoft this year, the current estimate is set at US$ 25.05 billion by the end of 2014. Microsoft has a lot of new guns to fire this year in order to generate revenue instead of solely relying on its Windows division. The Surface line of products is doing well, as its sales doubled in the third quarter of 2013. Moreover, Microsoft is partnering up with various low cost phone manufacturers in the emerging market segment to sell Windows Phone 8 based cheap phones. Rumors include a deal between Microsoft and Micromax, an Indian phone manufacturer, and even Sony may have joined the bandwagon.
Based on the growth forecast, Zacks just upgraded the company from “underperform” on December 19, 2013. If anyone is looking for investing in an established blue-chip company with growth in mind during 2014, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a good option right now, as the 1 year forward P/E is only at 12.86.
“Yada yada yada, you have worked hard on this thread trying to convince anybody who had anything positive to say about Win 8 that they are wrong.”
Again, that’s easily dispelled if anyone just scrolls back and reads my comments. Kind of silly to make an accusation that is so easy for anyone to see through, but if that is what floats your boat, I can’t stop you.
” From Wikipedia:
“A bogeyman (also spelled bogieman, or boogeyman) “
Note that it’s not also spelled “Boogieman”, because my name is not that word.
Good to see for once a consensus on FR that Winblows Ate & 8.1 suck, and that we all must hate it!
I am not pretending otherwise, that is why I put it in “”... Why do you not understand that?
Searching Hillary for President returned 96,000 hits... Should I vote for her?
Yep, they will create a new version. Are you an Oracle that can divine the future? How about you tell me how you have been involved in the rollout of a major O/S....
What phone did you have before the Nokia? I have a Motorola android phone now but have been thinking about trying out the 1520 but I’m with US Cell and they don’t have it available. I might switch to Verizon for that. I was just wondering if you had android before and what you like about this over android.
Oh, okay. I was under the impression that you were trying to convince me that MS didn’t remove the Start menu, when you actually agree that it was removed and just like to nickname something else the “Start menu”. Thanks for resolving my confusion.
I've used Android before. The fragmentation of the OS delivers different experiences on different pieces of hardware.
I have not personally owned an iPhone, but have been around enough of them to know it is not my cup of tea.
For me, Windows Phone splits the difference. Enough open to do what you want, but a controlled OS that delivers a familiar experience across all devices.
You can see this with Microsoft. If you can run Windows 8/8.1 Metro, Xbox then you can run Windows Phone. They all work together nicely.
The pictures I take on my Lumia 1520 upload to the cloud and are available on my Surface Pro tablet.
Assimilated MS fanboy. Have fun with your new strart menrue.
The Start screen does replace the initial function of the Start Menu (of being the first place you’ll probably be clicking). But the menu is still there, just gotta hover on the side to make the floatie bar show up and then in the middle of that is a little window icon with the word “Start” under it:
http://electronicdesign.com/site-files/electronicdesign.com/files/archive/electronicdesign.com/content/content/74676/74676_fig2.jpg
and if you click that you get the new and improved and much more dynamic Start Menu:
http://betanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Windows-8-with-Start-Menu-e1338822965137.jpg
And if that’s not good enough for you 8 ships with a “Classic Shell” that looks mostly like 7. And there’s a dozen companies made free Start menu replacements for 8.
It wasn't a happy and festive occasion when the solid, dependable XP computer died, but figured it would be an easy move to Win 8. Unfortunately, first impressions are lasting and mine with Win 8 came when I needed to meet some high stress deadlines.
Win 8 added even more time and difficulty (stress) when I would have preferred a quick and easy transition to a working familiarity instead of wondering how to turn the effing thing off.
As background, I'm having trouble with two new vehicles with great reputations that came with built in problems. Since obama, several products I've come to depend like and depend on were taken off the market and the replacements not as good. And and now Windows too, with some Vista-style deja vu all over again?? Just not a good first impression.
I now have three Win 7 computers and one Win 8 sitting idle. Once I get caught up with the end of year/first of the year to do list, I'll give Win 8 another chance and see what I'm missing.
“The Start screen does replace the initial function of the Start Menu (of being the first place you’ll probably be clicking). But the menu is still there, just gotta hover on the side to make the floatie bar show up and then in the middle of that is a little window icon with the word “Start” under it:”
So, you are calling MS liars, then?
Nope, I’m saying you’re willfully confused. If you setup your Start screen correctly you never need the old start menu. It’s there for you, but you don’t need it. Kind of like how if you setup your quicklaunch bar in 7 correctly you don’t need the start menu anymore, only bigger.
“Nope, I’m saying you’re willfully confused.”
I’m just saying what MS says on their official website, so if I am confused, they must be confused about their own product too. Maybe you can go enlighten them for a change?
And I explained to you how what they said is true AND the menu can still be found and used, including screen shots of where the menu is and what it looks like. But you ignored all that and continue to insist there’s no start menu. So it’s all you at this point, meanwhile other folks are hovering and getting to the start menu that’s still there though no longer high profile.
Sure, sure. You must be correct, and therefore, all these tech writers are delusional:
Windows Start Menu to Return in Windows 8.2
Start Menu in the Future of Windows 8
Windows 8 Start Menu to Return with Threshold Update
The Return of the Windows Start Menu
Sorry, buddy, but if you want to call some other Windows 8 feature the "start menu", that's fine. The rest of us are under no obligation to adopt your nickname or play pretend with you.
Look, I'm only here because, as typical, persons like yourself are all bent out of shape over nothing. Technology changes, if you don't like it go hide in a cave in Montana.
I don’t know who you are, and have never noticed you before. I only know that you initiated our communications by asking me a question, while never intending on accepting my answer.
You're right, you haven't noticed me because I'm a Windows SpamBoy Ninja! I only come out when Storm Shadow is in the room (not you of course)... /sarcasm
I have been on this site for more than a decade though I spend most of my time reading. Reading to get information to use against lefty's that I don't run into on this site. I find it worthless to respond on this site because by the time I read everything what I want to say is already said. This thread was fresh, so I jumped in...
All other things aside, I’m sure we could happily sit down over a cup o joe and enjoy a rousing game of pin the tail on the donkey. :)
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