IDC: Windows 8 Will Be 'Largely Irrelevant' for PC Users
IDC analysts figure that Windows 8 will see no upgrade activity from Windows 7.
Last week we heard that Windows 8 was rumored to be hitting public beta in late February of next year. We're also expecting to see more of the operating system during Steve Ballmer's keynote address at the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas this coming January. However, if IDC is to be believed, PC users will find the next iteration of Windows 'largely irrelevant.'
All About Microsoft author Mary Jo Foley reports that one of IDC's "Worldwide System Infrastructure Software 2012 Top 10 Predictions" was that "Windows 8 Will Launch with Split Success." Explaining the prediction, IDC analysts say that Windows 8 will be largely irrelevant to those with traditional PCs, adding that they "expect effectively no upgrade activity from Windows 7 to Windows 8 in that form factor." As far as tablets are concerned, IDC believes that Microsoft will be too late to the tablet market to make any real impact.
It's not an entirely surprising prediction when you look at how comfortable users are with Windows 7. While the Windows 8's Metro UI smells a lot like Windows Phone 7 and promises a great interface for tablets and PCs with touchscreen displays, Microsoft has said that if you disable Metro, your Windows 8 desktop is going to look and feel a lot like the one in Windows 7. Throw in the fact that, as Foley points out, many businesses have just finished upgrading to Windows 7 from XP/Vista and it doesn't seem like such a crazy prediction. However, even if IDC is right about upgrades from Windows 7, Microsoft is still going ship a lot of copies of the OS with new PCs that sell after the operating system is released, so it's not all bad.
Do you plan on upgrading to Windows 8? Let us know in the comments below!
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what is great it the quote " if you disable Metro, your Windows 8 desktop is going to look and feel a lot like the one in Windows 7".
As long as I'm not getting another Vista, I'm happy - not that I have any intent of upgrading to w8 from w7.
Windows 8 developer beta has impressed me enough to upgrade all our work systems to it.
Boots in around 6 seconds on an SSD drive, just feels quicker than Win 7 and the restore features are better.
Found metro a bit pointless in a Web Design and Video Production environment.
Hope there will be an option to disable metro.
Had a genuinely great experience with Windows 8 so far.
Wonder if this was written by a Mac loving journalist.....
Seriously tho - Dont think Mr Balmer has been up to the job since uncle Billy left tbh..
Theres no wow factor in Microsoft Anymore...
I think the minor, but nice, advantages of win8 over win7 will make me upgrade yes.
Windows 8 developer beta has impressed me enough to upgrade all our work systems to it.Boots in around 6 seconds on an SSD drive, just feels quicker than Win 7 and the restore features are better.Found metro a bit pointless in a Web Design and Video Production environment.Hope there will be an option to disable metro.Had a genuinely great experience with Windows 8 so far.
OK, so what do you plan to do once the Dev preview stops working? It's not a stable, final release OS yet you know.
I don't see how and why I would need to move to Win8. The only reason I moved to Win7 was because of DX11, and because it's not even being used as widely as we all with decent GFX cards would hope, there's absolutely no point in spending the cash on another OS when I'm not even completely used to Win7 yet. Microsoft is turning into an OS-pumping machine eager for cash when their manpower can be used so much better to improve the overall PC experience for their current end users. It's pretty pathetic, to be honest.
Microsoft is turning into an OS-pumping machine eager for cash when their manpower can be used so much better to improve the overall PC experience for their current end users. It's pretty pathetic, to be honest.
Think big picture here. Windows 8 is a major shift away from the traditional desktop OS. It has been proven time and again that desktop Windows does NOT work on a tablet or touch form factor. W8 is designed to compete in this space, which MS desperately need to do if they want to stay relevant.