According to foreign media reports on August 4th, Windows 8 has been available for ten months, but its sales are still far behind those of its predecessor, Windows 7. Although any new operating system needs time to become successful, there are mainly two reasons explaining why Windows 8 is struggling.
Currently, Windows 8 accounts for only 5.4% of the entire Windows operating system market share, and last month it only increased by 0.3%. Due to Microsoft's release of the Windows 8.1 Preview in June, its market share has risen, but even including this, the increase in Windows 8 remains below 1%.
CNET recently found through interviews with market research firm IDC that many companies are not in a hurry to upgrade to the new operating system; most are still using Windows 7 rather than Windows 8. IDC stated that according to reports from Dell and HP, the majority of their customers choose to use Windows 7.
Due to the large changes in user interface from Windows 7 to Windows 8, many companies are still hesitant about upgrading. The focus of Windows 8 is on applications, touchscreen functionality, and shortcut keys replacing the start button, which has forced many IT departments to abandon its use. Training users to adapt to a new operating system takes a lot of time, significantly reducing productivity.
For consumers, whether or not to use Windows 8 is less strategic. Consumers have shifted their attention from computers to tablets, greatly reducing the adoption rate of Windows 8. Indeed, Microsoft Surface Pro runs the new operating system, but have you heard? The sales of Surface Pro are not impressive. Let alone the poor sales of the Surface RT tablet.
Consumers prefer tablets, causing global PC unit shipments to decline for five consecutive quarters. Just in the second quarter of this year, sales dropped by 10.9%. Ironically, IDC indicated as early as April that Windows 8 not only did not help the recovery of the PC market, but also slowed its growth. According to data from IDC and Gartner, the sales performance of hybrid laptops, combining tablets and PCs, is also not good. Unfortunately, Microsoft failed to realize that consumers do not want the Surface tablet. In the second quarter, Android tablet sales surged, while during the same period, Microsoft's global tablet shipments accounted for only 4.5%.
Microsoft's future lies in bundling its enterprise products with consumer products, and investors should pay attention to how Microsoft continues to implement this policy. Unfortunately for Microsoft and its shareholders, Microsoft is making efforts to boost the sales of Windows 8 and sell Windows tablets. The recently released Windows 8.1 Preview may help alleviate concerns about Windows 8, but unfortunately, it has not yet reached the point of turning the tide. Microsoft needs to continue listening to customer feedback to adjust its software and devices. If there is no change, Microsoft may continue to move in the wrong direction.