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Microsoft sold 4 million Windows 8 upgrades in first three days

by Mark Tyson on 31 October 2012, 09:49

Tags: Windows 8

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Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has announced that four million Windows 8 upgrades have been sold to consumers in the first three days of availability. This is a better sales performance than Windows 7 at the same stage, three years previously, he claimed. Mr Ballmer said that additionally “tens of millions” of copies of Windows 8 have been sold to corporate customers.

The Microsoft CEO was speaking at an event in Seattle, Washington; the Build 2012 event aimed at Windows developers. Mr Ballmer wants as many developers as possible working on new software for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. He called Windows 8 “the single largest opportunity for software developers today.” The opportunity is big because Microsoft forecasts are big; an estimated 400 million new devices running the new OS will be in user’s hands a year from now according to Mr Ballmer. He was also very enthusiastic about new Windows 8 hardware saying “With Windows 8, we absolutely have in our hands the best PCs - hardware and software - ever made. The best laptops, desktops, the new tablet meets PC form factor.”

Looking at these big number claims, Julie Bort, writing for Business Insider, thinks that the 400 million estimate comes from a recent IDC prediction that 391 million PCs will be shipped in 2013. It must be pointed out that IDC’s figures for PCs will include Macs and Windows 7 PCs. However Windows 7 sold 175 million copies in its first year and if only half of next year’s 391 million PC sales are sporting Windows 8 then that’s a significant bit of leapfrogging, making 195 million sales for Windows 8 in its first year.

Incidentally every paying Build 2012 attendee went home with a 32GB Microsoft Surface tablet with touch cover and a Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone.

Thanks to AllThingsD for the photos.



HEXUS Forums :: 20 Comments

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HeXus
“tens of millions” of copies of Windows 8 have been sold to corporate customers.

Yeah right! SA agreements are behind those “tens of millions” because you can't get Windows 7 anymore, always gotta buy the latest and downgrade.
spoon_
Yeah right!




…OTOH… why would you think not?
not the first time microsofts lied windows 8 is bad very nasty and if it was not for most games i want to play being only on widows i would be on linux were im not forced anything
whitetop
not the first time microsofts lied windows 8 is bad very nasty and if it was not for most games i want to play being only on widows i would be on linux were im not forced anything

And you pay a subscription to play games, and you think Microsoft is very nasty and the upgrade has come out for £25 after windows 7 only being out for 3 years, so who is the money grabbing nasty. Everyone is on this planet to make a living and hey lots of folks out there fleecing your money, at least you are in control if you upgrade or not.
geoff i;2688189
at least you are in control if you upgrade or not.

not…. :)