14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 10 will launch in less than a month, and Microsoft hopes that, thanks to its free upgrade offer, most Windows 7 and 8.1 consumers will upgrade to the new OS and thus help it avoid a new Windows XP moment when support for these two versions ends in the coming years.
But according to a Gartner analyst, Windows 7 will continue to be the preferred operating system for the majority of users, and despite the aggressive marketing that pushes Windows 10 to all devices across the world, many consumers will actually prefer to hold on to their existing software than to upgrade.
“We’re looking forward to a good replacement cycle around Windows 10. There is still going to be that wide histogram of reactions between people who want to move right now verses those who are still on Windows 95, but it’s not going to be the damp squib Windows 8 was,” John-David Lovelock, head of forecasting at Gartner, is quoted as saying by ComputerWeekly.
No boost for PC sales
Naturally, most companies expect Windows 10 to increase PC sales in the short term, given the fact that new hardware will be needed in order to make the most of the new operating system, but the Gartner analyst estimates that shipments will remain flat.
“In other words, it will be a good year, as flat is the new up, where PC sales are concerned. But in general, there will not be any significant new PC purchases, it’s mainly going to be replacements of existing PCs. The idea that Windows 10 will save the PC is just not going to hold true,” he says.
And his statement does make sense. Windows 10 will be offered as a free upgrade to those on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 and will have the exact same specs as its predecessor, so it’s pretty hard to find a reason to purchase a new computer if you can live without the features requiring hardware upgrades.
Obviously, time will tell if Windows 10 can make a difference in terms of PC sales, but Microsoft has already promised a new wave of devices running this OS version after its launch on July 29, so customers will really have a plethora of options if they want to replace their computers.