Microsoft: 40 million Windows 8 licenses already sold

Since October 26th, Microsoft has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses.

The word comes via CFO Tam Reller who was discussing the operating system at the Credit Suisse Annual Tech Conference today.

In comparison to Windows 7, the new OS appears to be selling better. The previous OS moved 60 million copies in two months, compared to the 40 million in just one month for Win8.

Reller did not note sales figures for the Surface RT tablet.

What remains unclear, however, is what Microsoft considers as "sold." Some companies report direct sales to consumers (like Apple does) but others just report "sold" or "shipped" as the amount of units shipped to retailers or pre-installed on new computers.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 27 Nov 2012 21:16

cart0181

It seems to be a solid OS. No reason to go with Win 7 right now that I can see. I think I understand what MS is trying to accomplish with these "tiles" and I must say, I like the idea. I wasn't too impressed with the Android tablets I saw. This could be a nice alternative. My jury is still out though, as it usually is until about SP1.

28.11.2012 01:34 #1

Notcow

Originally posted by cart0181: It seems to be a solid OS. No reason to go with Win 7 right now that I can see. I think I understand what MS is trying to accomplish with these "tiles" and I must say, I like the idea. I wasn't too impressed with the Android tablets I saw. This could be a nice alternative. My jury is still out though, as it usually is until about SP1. Don't see any reason to go with Windows 7? As a PC Gamer, Windows 8 is a step in the wrong direction...as far as I know. To be completely honest, I don't know the exact reasoning behind it, but Steam and gaming companies in general are all unhappy with the direction Microsoft's taken.

But it's true, they do seem to be innovating, albeit exclusively in favor of the "average" computer user.

28.11.2012 13:54 #2

elitepunk

G__ A_ F___! i will stick to windows xp -_-

28.11.2012 22:59 #3

DXR88

Originally posted by Notcow: Originally posted by cart0181: It seems to be a solid OS. No reason to go with Win 7 right now that I can see. I think I understand what MS is trying to accomplish with these "tiles" and I must say, I like the idea. I wasn't too impressed with the Android tablets I saw. This could be a nice alternative. My jury is still out though, as it usually is until about SP1. Don't see any reason to go with Windows 7? As a PC Gamer, Windows 8 is a step in the wrong direction...as far as I know. To be completely honest, I don't know the exact reasoning behind it, but Steam and gaming companies in general are all unhappy with the direction Microsoft's taken.

But it's true, they do seem to be innovating, albeit exclusively in favor of the "average" computer user. lock outs and stolen ad traffic id wager. W8 is sneaky i don't like it.

29.11.2012 19:11 #4

IndigoAK

The people who claim that Windows 8 is some sort of super closed system are fear mongers and nothing more. These people are also probably the same people that use Android, Windows Phone and iOS on a daily basis, all three of them being operating systems that even more closed than Windows 8 is.

You can still install traditional software on Windows 8 and in fact, you can even sell it on the Windows Store. There is no lockout on what you can and can't install. Yes, you can't install Metro/Modern UI apps without going through the Windows Store, but you know what? That makes sense since metro apps are designed for tablets first and foremost and Microsoft's design guidelines aren't any more or less restrictive than Apples or Google's.

As for people complaining about the interface; the world has been whining about Windows not changing for years and years, and when it finally does, they complain more. And amusingly enough, Mac OS/OS X and Linux have done just as little changing and people never seem to complain about it. Tell me, when is the last time Apple tried to innovate and get rid of the application bar? Right, never. It's been there for the last 28 years.

Windows 8 isn't perfect, but if you don't think it's a step in the right direction you need to wake up and take a look around. With all of the information that people have in their daily lives now, it's about time that interfaces start presenting it in a way that makes it easy to access and/or process. Live tiles have the potential to do that better than anything else right now and given time, companies will act on that potential.

30.11.2012 08:52 #5

tranquash

I'm an average user, not and IT expert, just using some simple games and office related aapplications. I installed w8, and got completely lost. It took me a while just to figure out how to get to an application. Lots of tiles, some people like them, I don't, is confusing; it's faster than w7, but in the end doen't matter because the number of clicks to go where you want is greater. I ended up re-installing w7. Simpler and to my taste, better.

Chuck

"Men are slower to recognize blessings than misfortunes." Titus Livius (59BC-17AD)

30.11.2012 10:16 #6

plazma247

You can be sure most of those sales are going to be oem for system builders who are now sticking on 8 instead of 7 due to pricing.

As for IndigoAK comment regarding the osx bar, maybe apple didn't remove it because it does the job well, sort of like the windows task bar... oh wait.

On fondle slabs metro makes sense, but on a desktop it makes no sense what so ever as i can see.

Ive even had a few people looking to buy new machines and asking me if if it will be possible to remove 8 and its insane interface and put 7 on.

As for having an interface that can present information from multiple feeds, widgets / gadgets did this just fine and allowed people to have both a desktop and the information to hand, instead of splitting it off as some form of crazed alter ego.

Thanks but no thanks.

30.11.2012 11:57 #7

Tarsellis

Don't forget, Windows 7 is mostly no longer sold. It's end of year, and everybody is burning the last of their budgets, OEMs included, so this is when all the new PCs are ordered. However, most of these orders are probably "licensed" for Windows 8, because that's what is sold, and have Windows 7 installed with "Downgrade" rights.

Microsoft'ss marketing (another word for creative lying) department is saying 40 million units sold, but how many are shipped to end users? And I'd wager of those "40 million" at least 25-30 million are actually installed as Windows 7.

30.11.2012 13:43 #8

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