Why Windows 7 is Still Dominating Windows 8

Microsoft is certainly keeping busy with its Windows operating systems. After launching Windows 8 last year, the first major upgrade (Windows 8.1) was just released last month. Microsoft is also spreading the message about Windows XP's end of service date in April, trying to get hundreds of millions of users to upgrade. How are businesses handling all this change?

One trend that we are seeing is that most businesses are choosing to upgrade to Windows 7 over 8. Even in situations where organizations are buying new hardware, they are still choosing to buy equipment installed with Windows 7. This is the professional assessment from Cindy Zwerling, B2B product marketing manager at Toshiba, who told ZDNet.com that, "From a business perspective, I would say 99 percent of our sales are Windows 7."

This has to be a big blow to Microsoft because they have invested so heavily in Windows 8. Microsoft gambled on Windows 8 when they designed it drastically different from its predecessors, going with a more mobile-friendly tile interface and removing the classic Start button. Windows 8 is not a complete flop, its sales figures have been solid since its release; yet, even though it's a very capable OS, businesses are still not running to it. Why is Windows 8 so slow to catch on with enterprises?

Mobile Business is Still New
Windows 8's strongest selling point is its compatibility with devices running the mobile versions of Windows 8. This is good news for consumers that are really into their smartphones, but not applicable to businesses that are slow in adopting mobile trends. In the end, Microsoft's mobile gamble is likely to pay off. One proof of this comes from an International Data Corporation report projecting tablets to outsell PCs in Q4 of 2013 for the first time; but until mobile devices have fully exerted themselves on the marketplace, businesses will continue to choose Windows 7 over 8.

Upgrading from XP
With the end of support date for Windows XP right around the corner, Microsoft is currently seeing an explosion of demand from hundreds of millions of worldwide users, and it's sure to get worse as April looms. This high demand to upgrade from Windows XP may be the biggest reason why Windows 7 is currently dominating Windows 8.

Think about it, the good folks that have been fiercely loyal to a decade-old OS, are not the type of people easily swayed by the newest bells and whistles of the latest technology. Windows XP users value two things above all else, reliability and familiarity. Windows 8 fails in both of these requisites because it's too new to be proven, and its design looks nothing like the beloved XP; and because Windows 7 is more similar to XP then it is to Windows 8, an XP user will choose 7 over 8 like a hipster choosing Apple over Microsoft.

Having your business upgrade to a new OS is a major project that will increase the productivity and security of your company's IT infrastructure. If you're looking to take advantage of the latest software solutions with a new OS, like Windows 8.1, or if you want to upgrade from Windows XP, then give Computerware a call at (703) 821-8200.