Windows 8 Post-Release Results
Windows 8 is not just new; it is for most PC users an entirely new experience. This is true due to many factors ranging from cost and boot time to overall quality and visual effectiveness. Using a touch screen is a big selling point with Windows 8 and it’s likely that it will look and feel very comfortable on most if not all Tablets, Hybrids, and UltraBooks. It is also entirely likely that anyone who has used a full-sized touch screen with Windows 7 installed on their PC will be in the least somewhat impressed. There is more to this new Windows OS and now that it is released and offered as the default system for new PCs it will be interesting to see how well it is received. Microsoft may well have reached a new high by producing what it seems will be literally the next generation of the PC Operating System, but the proof will be in the sales.
Windows 8 is very similar to its predecessor (Windows 7 of course) but the “advancement” that is part of it does make Windows 8 look and feel flashier without really being tacky at all. This is to Microsoft’s credit and along with the aggressive pricing will likely help its overall sales. Reports at this time, less than a month after the official release, indicate that there is almost too much of Windows 8 to go around. There are so many pieces of equipment to be had at reasonable prices that there may not be an equal number of buyers for that equipment. The upcoming Holiday sales are likely to be critical to the initial success of the new Microsoft Operating System.
Microsoft is definitely depending far more on Windows 8 to succeed as opposed to the new Surface Tablet, as the Surface is a vehicle for the OS and the profit Microsoft hopes to generate will come from the Windows 8 platform and developers who see that it works. If these developers don’t see that, it would be a much harder sell for Microsoft to generate real profit from their new OS. Beyond 2012, there will be several hundred million computers with Windows 8 pre-installed up for sale in 2013 and that is where the proof will be.
How much the success of Windows 8 affects the average PC user is obviously quite different than how it affects Microsoft; however, it is a consideration moving forward because we all tend to update our hardware/software over time and what those updates/upgrades offer is important. The Windows 8 experience is a good one and should the numbers prove that out, then we, the average PC users, will benefit from that. Take a few moments to look at some of the Windows 8 coverage presented here at Resolve and watch for much more in-depth, useful information including guides and video tutorials in the very near future!