Microsoft sells 200 million copies of Windows 8

[Scorpus]

Microsoft has revealed a milestone in sales for Windows 8, with Executive Vice President of Marketing, Tami Reller, saying the company has sold 200 million licenses of the operating system. The last time we heard about Windows 8 sales it was back in May 2013, when Microsoft passed the 100 million copies sold milestone.

In the first 12 months on the market, Microsoft sold 240 million copes of Windows 7. With Windows 8 having launched on October 26, 2012, it's now 15 months since launch and only 200 million copies of Microsoft's newest operating system have been sold.

The less rapid take-up of Windows 8 can be attributed to a number of things. Consumer perception of the operating system and its radical changes, such as the inclusion of the touch-friendly 'Modern' interface, hasn't exactly been positive, especially among keyboard and mouse users. Also, the PC market is currently shifting away from traditional desktops and laptops to tablets and other touchscreen devices, where iOS and Android are fierce competitors.

Microsoft's sales figures for Windows 8 include licenses sold to OEMs and Windows 8 upgrades, but not volume licensing sales; it's also not clear whether Windows RT has been included in the figures.

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is just around the corner, and early leaks of the operating system update have revealed a focus on improving the experience for mouse and keyboard users. Whether the improvements and new features in the update will convince more people to upgrade remains to be seen.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/55675-microsoft-sells-200-million-copies-of-windows-8.html

 

[TS-56336]

I can't hardly wait to see how the W8.1U1 really works. If as good as I hope, you will see a major bump in the sales numbers.

Especially the 'last' xp's in cooperate use, might go for this rather than W7, if MS finally manage a smooth interaction between the new UI and the millions of old apps.

 

[BMfan]

Sells 200 million copies and lose another 50 million with re-installs of 7.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

They've may have sold 200 million Win 8 copies thus far but by the same token they've probably also sold 200 million Win 7 copies during the same period, they just forgot to mention it.

 

[Guest]

I bet their sales numbers of Windoze 8 would not have been so good had Micro$oft not forced PC makers into preloading it instead of giving them the option between V7 and V8. It would have been interesting to see the sales numbers of both V7 and V8 had Micro$oft given PC Makers, and consumers, a choice.

-DTR...

 

[Guest]

Does the report say how much bribes they gave to government civil servants around the world to push sales of their OS to government-regulated facilities to make up these numbers? I would like to see the ROI.

 

[Guest]

Doesn't sales include the ones sitting on all the shelves at the stores too?

 

[tipstir]

Dual Monitors at my desk to the left we have Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit with Media Center, to the right Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1 with Media Center. Tweaking 8.1 as much to make it run smooth so far so good.

 

[Guest]

The bashing of WIN 8 has almost become a cliche.

 

[Guest]

Each new PC comes with a Windows 8 license, which is considered another license sold however most vendors are still installing Window 7. My local PC shop said that about 3% of new computers actually have Windows 8 installed, the other 97% actually still have Windows 7 as the installed OS.

 

[Adhmuz]

Great milestone, considering your last OS outsold your new OS in less time. But no, the customer still isn't right. When will they realize the Desktop complements the Tablet and without one the other wouldn't exist in most households, why the need to make both in to one device baffles me. Perhaps the real reason PC sales are down is due to hardware having reached an adequate level in most home negating the need to upgrade to a new system with an OS you've herd nothing but bad news about. Think about it, since Windows 7 was released, how much faster have PC's become for the average user, 4 GB of RAM was standard then, now it's 8 GB but it's doesn't speed up the system like going from 2 to 4. CPU's were mostly dual core, which again is more than adequate for most. You can't solely blame Win 8 for the decline of desktop sales, it just doesn't help.

 

[Guest17]

Drop a piece of cheese on the floor and watch as the rodents scurry.

 

[Guest]

I'll stick with win7 until win9 is out

 

[greybeard]

I have to admit that I'm responsible for 2 of the Win8 licenses. They came preinstalled on laptops; those 2 laptops now run Win7 & Linux.

 

[Kibaruk]

Gosh all the hate... for an incredible OS just because "it has big buttons and no start menu"...

 

[Guest]

Still using the good and old Windows XP.

 

[Fbarnett]

I am willing to bet 99.9% of all the windows 8 trash talkers never even have seen windows 8 unless its screen shots on the web. 1 windows 8 rig here and 5 windows 7, and thing new will have win8 here. I think it works good no reason to upgrade to 8 from 7 but no reason to install anything new with win 7 on it either

 

[Raoul Duke]

I'm responsible for one as well, couldn't resist the deal ($20 or $40 CAD for Win8 Pro with Media Centre, can't remember). Installed it day it hit general release, but as of December 2013 moved from 8.1 back to Win 7 and happy I did. My Dad even bought a licence it was such a bargain. He has never used it.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I can shamelessly say, I have not contributed.

 

[Gamesinner]

And I still think it sucks!

 

[Railman]

I bet their sales numbers of Windoze 8 would not have been so good had Micro$oft not forced PC makers into preloading it instead of giving them the option between V7 and V8. It would have been interesting to see the sales numbers of both V7 and V8 had Micro$oft given PC Makers, and consumers, a choice.

-DTR...

One supplier in the UK is selling more copies of W7 than W8. The price difference is minimal. Most companies are still buying PCs with W7 installed. It would be interesting to know precise figures but I suspect that MS will play the long game and expect W9 to succeed unlike W8.

I wonder if they will mess up with W10?

 

[learninmypc]

I don't know if this is a reputable website, but I saw this yesterday http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/201...ld-100-million-fewer-copies-windows-7/#!vPEYF

Is it related ?

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

Does the report say how much bribes they gave to government civil servants around the world to push sales of their OS to government-regulated facilities to make up these numbers? I would like to see the ROI.

That 200 million doesn't count enterprise/gov
/Troll harder

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

I bet their sales numbers of Windoze 8 would not have been so good had Micro$oft not forced PC makers into preloading it instead of giving them the option between V7 and V8. It would have been interesting to see the sales numbers of both V7 and V8 had Micro$oft given PC Makers, and consumers, a choice.

-DTR...

One supplier in the UK is selling more copies of W7 than W8. The price difference is minimal. Most companies are still buying PCs with W7 installed. It would be interesting to know precise figures but I suspect that MS will play the long game and expect W9 to succeed unlike W8.

I wonder if they will mess up with W10?

If HP sell more with their new W7 push than they do with W8 then it's true, if not it's horseshiat

 

[Gamesinner]

I am willing to bet 99.9% of all the windows 8 trash talkers never even have seen windows 8 unless its screen shots on the web. 1 windows 8 rig here and 5 windows 7, and thing new will have win8 here. I think it works good no reason to upgrade to 8 from 7 but no reason to install anything new with win 7 on it either

I just bought a new laptop for my daughter for Christmas. We so gave it a chance, to me it was not intuitive at all. I gave the computer to my Daughter and about two weeks later she requested I get rid of Windows 8. I ended up wiping the hard drive and installing Windows 7 Professional.