PC vendors have been slow to launch devices powered by Microsoft's latest operating system.
Microsoft's Windows 8 debut is off to an "awkward" start, Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund said.
The software giant last month launched the latest version of its operating system that sports a UI featuring a healthy proportion of tablet-inspired components such as touch capabilities. However, analysts have criticized the platform for being confusing, as well as playing its part in ailing PC growth.
Sherlund said PC vendors have evidently been slow to introduce new devices such as tablets and ultrabooks with touch screen support. Moreover, Windows 8 has a learning curve, as well as the fact that it's faced "abundant bad press."
Consequently, Nomura decreased its forecast for PC unit sales during the current quarter, noting that sales should drop by 7 percent instead of being flat.
In looking at Microsoft, we have assumed essentially no growth going forward in traditional PCs (or actually down about 6 [percent] if we exclude new ultrabooks) and the more relevant market growth of about [3 percent to 5 percent] if we include Windows-based tablet devices. We assume that many consumers will prefer an iPad to a Windows device, but that Office is still an anchor for enterprise and prosumers that may chose to upgrade notebooks to either ultrabook touch or tablet/hybrid devices for longer battery life, thin, light-weight and touch that addresses the desire for new form factors and new tablet based usage and apps. 2013 could be a good upgrade year for old notebooks.
In addition, Sherlund cut his estimates for Microsoft's earnings in 2013 by around 4 percent, stating per-share earnings will grow by just 8.5 percent. That said, he stressed that Microsoft's stock has already reflected the "awkward" launch of Windows 8.
"We think investors that can have a thick skin through the awkward quarter or two of the Windows 8 transition will likely see better traction ahead," he stated.
Despite the negativity surrounding Windows 8, Microsoft has sold 40 million licenses for the OS since its October 26 launch. Comparatively, 60 million Windows 7 licenses were sold during its first two months of sale.
More than half of consumers are said to have not heard of Windows 8, while those who are aware of the platform not having an interest in the OS.
Vista wasn't that bad after SP1. Even then Vista does not even compare to the changes to Windows that Windows 8 has done compared to Windows 7.
They Completely changed the way people have used Windows for almost if not over a decade.
Vista, ME, 98, 95, etc. are used the same way. You have a start menu, desktop, etc. The same can not be said about Windows 8 which has changed the even the basic ways the OS interacts with the user.
Yes, you can get a start menu thru a 3rd party program and desktop and etc.. But, people expect Windows 8 to be just like 7/Vista/XP/etc.. Also, not many people have touch screens with their desktops which adds another barrier to using it if you are just upgrading.
No matter how you feel about how good/bad Vista was, the marketplace spoke and deemed it crap. The same thing is currently happening with Win 8. Those 40 million copies of Win 8 'sold' since the release include the copies of the OS sitting on store shelves and the new model computers also sitting on the shelves. And this is with all the 'upgrade' specials that Microsoft is running now... It would be interesting to see what percentage of people took up MS on their $15 upgrades on recently sold Win 7 machines. I suspect that number is rather lower than MS expected.
Obviously the UI is the big feature but I view that as more of a marketing gimmick than a practical function. What does Windows 8 allow me to do that I couldn't do on Windows 7? Since Xp, those have been fewer and fewer with each new release.
I understand the desire by Microsoft to cash in on some of what Apple is reaping with its semi-universal OS but if I am on a traditional desktop or traditional laptop, I really do want a desktop on my PC, I can live without a Start menu but what do I get in return that is so much better?
Those are the questions Microsoft needs to account for in those environments.
The only people who bash it are people who either haven't used it or haven't figured it out yet.
Compared to win7, win8 does not offer much improvement, but if u are getting a new machine now, it is better to take the cheaper win8 + start8 route than buying the more expensive win7.
I have a problem with that because in the past year I've heard, read, and watched countless media outlets, journalists, and bloggers rant and rave about how "great" Windows 8 was and most of us who disagreed and pointed out the negative aspects were stuck in the comment sections of all the Pro Windows 8 stories. I definitely do not feel there was an "abundant" amount of negative articles, news pieces, and reviews of the OS throughout its Beta to RTM.
Frankly as an onsite technician. I think this is the greatest operating system Microsoft ever made. With how reliable and easy Windows was getting with Windows 7 I thought the support market would soon be dead. Now Windows 8 has breathed fresh hope. With how utterly complicated Windows 8 is I envision many more support calls and raising my rate.
Thank you Microsoft for breathing new life into the support and training market.
There are basically no new models yet. Many of the OEMs have yet to ship any of their Win 8 models, even if there's been quite a bit of hype around them. Even the analyst in the article points that out.