Microsoft sells 40 million Windows 8 licenses since launch
updated 05:59 pm EST, Tue November 27, 2012
Windows 8 outpacing Windows 7
In the month since the release of Windows 8, Microsoft has sold 40 million licenses of the new operating system. This according to one of the new co-heads of the Windows unit, who notes that sales of the new operating system are outpacing those of Windows 7 at the same stage. The figure, though, does not represent full sales through to customers; the bulk of the 40 million Windows 8 licenses were to PC manufacturers, who in turn sell those machines to companies.
Reuters reports that about 15 million PCs worldwide are currently running Windows 8, accounting for around one percent of the world's total PC install base.
Windows 8 represents a sizable departure for Microsoft from its normal user interface. In place of the familiar mouse-oriented desktop, the software giant opted to make a touch-centric interface the center of the Windows 8 experience.
The fast growth in license sales may initially be a good sign, but it remains to be seen whether such sales will translate to consumer and enterprise adoption. The PC market is struggling mightily as consumers increasingly opt for smartphones and tablets. Meanwhile, the enterprise sector is increasingly turning to bring your own device solutions, in which employees use their own mobile devices for both personal and business purposes.
