Microsoft's Windows 8 sales boast isn't as impressive as it might seem.
Posted on 02/15/2014 6:33:31 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Microsoft sold more than 200 million Windows 8 and 8.1 licenses during the controversial OS's first 15 months, Tami Reller, the company's executive VP of marketing, revealed Thursday at a Goldman Sachs technology conference.
Sounds impressive, right? Not exactly.
Sure, 200 million is a big number -- that's about one license for every 35 people on the planet, a level of ubiquity most companies would kill for. But Microsoft isn't most companies. Put into historical or aspirational context, Windows 8 and 8.1 have underwhelmed.
Not convinced? Here are five reasons not to be impressed.
1. Windows 8 sales can't keep pace with Windows 7's precedent.
In January 2013, Reller, then CFO of the Windows division, said Windows 8 had sold more than 60 million licenses since launching the previous October. She said the pace roughly matched Windows 7's progress through the same period. In May, when Windows 8's license sales passed 100 million, Microsoft again said its new OS was performing comparably to Windows 7.
Microsoft's Windows 8 boasts have always been a bit suspect, but the company can no longer argue that Win 8 is selling as well as the previous version. Windows 7 license sales topped 240 million in the OS's first year of availability. In three more months, Windows 8 had moved only a little more than 80% as many licenses.
[Are Android apps coming to Windows? Read Microsoft's Windows Strategy Gets Muddy.]
2. Microsoft defines "sell" differently than most of us.
Microsoft's Windows figures refer to "sell-in" numbers, not "sell-through" numbers. Those 200 million Windows 8 and 8.1 licenses, in other words, derive from the volume sold to OEMs and retailers, not the number sold to actual end-users. The number of Windows 8 machines actually active in the wild is lower.
Microsoft's tally does not include volume licenses, such as those sold to enterprises. But analysts say volume deals have been sluggish, too.
Corporate Windows 8.1 uptake hasn't increased outside of isolated tablet projects, and even within mobility deployments, Windows 8 slates are activated less often than iPads, Forrester analyst David Johnson told InformationWeek last month. "Windows 8 and the enterprise aren't things you usually hear in the same sentence," said IDC analyst Al Gillen in a separate interview.
3. Some Windows 8 licenses are more valuable than others.
Windows 8 Pro launched at a promotional price of $39.99, but some Windows 7 users could purchase it for as little as $14.99. In February 2013, though, the Pro version jumped to $199.99, with the standard version coming in at only $80 less. Though Windows 8.1 was released last fall as a free upgrade to existing Windows 8 users, the $199.99 and $119.99 prices still stand for everyone else.
What's the takeaway? A lot of Windows 8 licenses were sold at a discount. In theory, this tactic shouldn't have hurt Microsoft's bottom line -- by sacrificing licensing revenue, the company hoped to encourage Windows 8 adoption and thus revenue for its new Modern UI app ecosystem. In practice, however, this hasn't worked out.
Here's part of the problem: Many early Windows 8 adopters installed the OS on older PCs that didn't have touchscreens and were ill-equipped for Win 8's touch-oriented Live Tiles. Win 8 also shackled the desktop with knuckleheaded UI changes such as the missing Start menu, which only exacerbated the issue.
Windows 8.1 was an attempt to assuage the user discontent that resulted from these problems, but the OS has mostly continued to flounder. Evidently aware that 8.1 wasn't enough, Microsoft is reportedly planning another Windows update to make its new UI friendlier to mouse-and-keyboard users.
4. Windows licenses don't drive device sales as they used to.
Reports last year claimed Microsoft offered OEMs cheaper Windows and Office licenses in exchange for ramped-up production of smaller Windows tablets. While such reports have never been verified, manufacturers have released a rash of Win 8.1 mini-slates in recent months, most of which come pre-loaded with Office. This suggests that just as Microsoft took an early hit with discounted Windows 8 licenses, the company might also have sacrificed upfront revenue to gain some of its more recent sales.
Regardless of behind-the-scenes negotiations between Microsoft and OEMs, many Windows 8 and 8.1 devices have sold well only following hefty price cuts. Microsoft presumably hopes these low-margin devices will eventually stimulate growth in more lucrative areas such as the Windows Store or Office 365 and other of the company's cloud-based services. But so far, much of Windows 8's modest momentum appears to have come at the cost of profit margins.
5. Windows 8 isn't popular on any form factor.
Microsoft apologists sometimes point out that Windows 8 was predestined to post lower sales numbers than Windows 7 because the latter had the benefit of following Windows Vista, whose infamous flop drove demand for a modern desktop OS. Some have also suggested Windows 8 adoption has been stunted by the slumping PC market. With more people using tablets, some older PCs aren't being replaced, and others are being pushed into longer lifecycles. Both trends, or so the arguments go, decrease demand for a new version of Windows.
While these arguments aren't completely invalid, they ignore an important point: Windows 8 was designed as both a tablet and desktop platform. If the OS had been more appealing, that should have insulated it from fluctuations in the traditional PC market.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, Windows 8.1 tablets are still living off Apple and Google's table scraps. A barrage of holiday sales might have helped Windows tablet makers move a few more units -- but they couldn't stop record iPad sales or the continuing proliferation of low-cost Android slates.
Even if the PC slump isn't Windows 8's fault, the OS clearly hasn't helped. In January, Windows 8 and 8.1 accounted for a measly 11.7% of all desktop users, according to Net Applications. Windows 7 runs on almost half of all desktops, and even Windows XP, which will lose support in less than 60 days, more than doubles Win 8/8.1's market share. More than 60% of Win 8/8.1 users are still running the earlier version, indicating that 8.1 hasn't done enough to motivate the market. To add insult to injury, HP has started selling Windows 7 PCs in a "back by popular demand" promo.
Put simply, Windows 8's failure is twofold: It isn't popular among Microsoft's legacy customers, and it isn't popular among the mobile-minded new generation of users.
Yup. Win 8 is another MS NSA collector..now how many times has FR posted the article about the EU trying to stop WIN8 in Europe due to it’s data collecting anti privacy application?
Win 8 has a pretty good backend, and boots up very quickly. And, once you install ClassicShell, you have a Win7 frontend and it works great.
If something goes wrong updating the BiOS, you could end up with a brick.
BTW, anyone see DistroWatch?
There is an Androidx86 OS being developed that would allow Android apps and such on a regular PC.
More choices.
it comes down to simple preparedness
fool me once
Long live XP!
EU is simply practicing protectionist over its own technology industries. It’s just as involved in gathering data on the citizenry that the NSA is involved in.
Meh. XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1...They’re all the same to me.
This.
The computer manufacturers are given Windows 8 to install, They are stuck. They hated it but Microsoft did not listen to them or the customers. I expect Windows 9 to be the same as 8 with minor changes.
When you buy a new pc it comes with Windows 8. That is not a actual sell of Windows 8. You bought the house but now you find you got to remodel but cannot find anything but Windows 7 furniture and fixtures.
I bought a Samsung Galaxy Note 8” tablet this week.
It has Androids OS called Jellybean. This is my first tablet which I bought to use for cutting cable (saving $83 a month) and using it for video by using the remote control app to put any video I want from the internet or the tablet to my big screen tv.
It was better then I thought and so easy to navigate. I click on the tv remote app and tap a button and I see the show go from the tablet to the big tv.
Microsoft has not a clue what is coming. They come out with Windows 8 that shows no flair for design. Windows 7 had irritating bugs as did XP that they never fix. Look at the Apple design http://www.apple.com/osx/what-is
They make the OS look good. Windows look like they threw some stuff together.
The android OS is smooth and easy to navigate. If they add some of Windows folders and menus it would be a real winner. Right now the apps are kind of kludgy if you want to type or write docs or even print.
I just replaced my defective iPhone 5, the mobile phone company (after 3 defective handsets) allowed me to start over and pick a different handset. I decided to go back to Android, and chose the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. This is incredible. Screen destroys anything Apple sells, s-pen has made it possible to touch up simple CAD drawings and renderings, handwriting recognition is almost perfect, and battery life is twice what I could get on my iPhone. Almost 2 full working days between charges. Now I see why apple is considering an Android powered iPhone.
There are also many apps that are very useful that are free or just a few dollars. My old Droid X will be replaced soon with the Samsung Galaxy S4. I may go with T-Mobile as they say they have unlimited data as long as it is use on the phone (I read you can change the user agent to make your web browser in the pc appear as a mobile one) so you can tether the phone to the pc for a bigger screen.
Take screenshots by holding the power and Home buttons down at the sametime. Hold the Home button down and you will see all running apps plus the Task manager. Many tips found when searching: samsung galaxy note tablet.
Try the app: Twit Pro from Leo Laporte (computer guy) they have many people podcasting about tech stuff.
BTW try out ES File Explorer which is a good way to manage your files plus get the Dolphin browser (not their Jetpack-Amazon does not look the same) or Firefox which can use Flash.
Install Adobe Flash instructions.
http://omegadroid.co/samsung-galaxy-note-3-flash-player-support/
I can play Youtube videos any other flash videos at other sites but so far I am unable to start any Amazon instant video. Firefox says it cannot locate an application to open and Dolphin says:
Oops!
Web page not available
Is your network connection dry?
Refresh webpage
Here is how to get it to work at Amazon to play the tv & movies if you have Amazon instant vdeo (comes with prime)
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/nates-reviews/stream-amazon-instant-videos-android-tablet/#.UwFM9bTSn0c
I am using the Dolphin browser and set the browser in the settings to pretend it is on a desktop pc instead of an android device.
I use es file Explorer, it’s great. As for the Amazon videos could they be silverlight rather than flash? Silverlight doesn’t play with Android, AFAIK.
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