Yesterday I was called by Murad Ahmed of The Times for my views on the very widespread ‘rumour’ that Microsoft is planning to distance itself from Windows 8 at its ‘Build’ Conference in April 14 by announcing Windows 9 to be available from Apr 15. You can read my views in Microsoft on threshold of deleting ‘appalling’ Windows 8 or, if you don’t have a subscription to the Times, “When we talk to the manufacturers, they say corporate clients are still buying more Windows 7 PCs,” Richard Holway, chairman of the industry researcher TechMarketView, said. “Windows 8 is not getting a look-in from the corporate users and the consumers I’ve spoken to all say they are appalled by it. I don’t think Microsoft completely understood what people wanted to do with it”.
Must admit I’d just got home from a 22 hour journey from Thailand but I don’t think I’m too upset by my comment. Everyone of the main PC manufacturers that I have talked to recently tell me that corporates – particularly those that have to upgrade from the much loved XP this April – are moving to Windows 7 not 8. Touch screen technology doesn’t get a look in for most corporate PCs. Indeed, they are ‘like me’. They use their PC for the heavy lifting stuff like long reports, spreadsheets, preparing Powerpoint presentations, designing brochures and the like. I know how to do this stuff like the back of my hand. I’ve been using the equivalent of Word for getting on for 30 years now. It doesn’t need a touchscreen and I have no intention of getting one for my PC.
In the consumer world, tablets are clearly winning the day. I use my iPad for everything I do outside of my PC. But it is mainly ‘consuming’ not ‘creating’ stuff. I admit I would like Microsoft Office on my iPad. Steve Balmer resisted doing that but I fully expect a change of policy as one of the first moves by the new CEO. Those ‘consumers’ I know that wanted to get a PC for their kids to use in their school work ended up either buying a Windows 7 laptop or a MacBook.
I joked with Murad that the decision to dump W8 was Balmer’s ‘swansong’. Murad suggested “Albatross (song) would be a better description”. I’m not sure if Times journalists are allowed to be quoted but I like it! Let’s be honest, the Windows 8 debacle was totally predictable. Indeed, WE predicted it would be a disaster right from the start! W8 only served to accelerate the move to tablets and away from Microsoft.
Balmer truly has a lot to answer for.