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Windows 8 sales hit 40 million: Microsoft

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Looks like all the naysayers can stuff it. 40 million is the combined launch of XP and 7 combined, and it currently has 2/3rds of the install base of all versions of OSX combined. Now that is good.

As for the Surface, while the official numbers aren't out, early estimates are 400k to 4 million units

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Looks like all the naysayers can stuff it. 40 million is the combined launch of XP and 7 combined, and it currently has 2/3rds of the install base of all versions of OSX combined. Now that is good.

You're forgetting that they've cut the usual price by what, more than 70%? That means 70% less profit.

Windows 8 upgrade costs $40, full $70

Windows 7 upgrade costs $120, full $200-$320 at launch

Windows Vista upgrade costs $160, full $240-$400 at launch

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Thomas AndersonNov. 28, 2012 - 10:10AM JST

You're forgetting that they've cut the usual price by what, more than 70%? That means 70% less profit.

That has nothing to do with it. Most of the licenses are new computers, and OEM costs are the same as they have been since Vista.

Windows 8 upgrade costs $40, full $70

False, $39.99 is Microsoft Store only price, normal upgrade price is $70. There is no such thing as a "full" software price. Microsoft doesn't sell it and never will.

Microsoft does sell OEM installs, but to the tune of $140/$200.

Anyone can make up numbers that simply don't exist, but that doesn't change the fact that 40 million copies of anything is a good start, even free games like Angry Birds take years to get that much (angry birds took about a year and a half to hit 10 million copies downloaded). From the 40 million mark, it has already surpassed the vista install base, as well as all versions of OSX. It's more than the entire linux install base combined as well.

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I see a bunch of the OEM installs for $100.

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Korlacan KhanthavilayNov. 28, 2012 - 08:55PM JST

I see a bunch of the OEM installs for $100.

Until January, Home is $100 and Pro $140 for OEM licenses, then switch to $140/200. Considering you wouldn't buy Home OEM at all if you actually needed the OEM license, $140 now, $200 later is the most likely price.

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Except for the fact that during a quarter, PC sales will be near 100 million. Q1 2013 is 1 Oct - 31 Dec. So it's very very likely there are 40 million consumers out there have Windows 8 Home/Pro on their machines.

There's also the computers sold since June/July (something like that), who are given the $15 upgrade option. For an extra $15, you have a license for Windows 7 and Windows 8.

You're talking Back to School sales, Black Friday sales, and Cyber Monday sales. Now we're leading up to the Holiday sales. I can see 100 million Windows 8 machines sitting in consumers' homes by the end of the year.

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Korlacan KhanthavilayNov. 29, 2012 - 07:16PM JST

I can see 100 million Windows 8 machines sitting in consumers' homes by the end of the year.

I think 100 million is a bit large , even Windows 7 only had 60 million after 3 months. Could very well happen if you include RT and enterprise/server 2012 though.

And yes, regardless of what the apple fanatics say, the incredibly popular Windows 7 only sold 50% more IN THREE MONTHS! Looks like the critics just don't represent the people, most simply think Windows 8 is just fine for an OS.

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@basroil

Windows 7 also released during the summer, not during the fall/winter. I bet Windows 7 sales started jumping up for the Back to school, black friday, cyber monday, and holiday sales. I expect Windows 8 to outsell Windows 7 month after month, until Jan. Sales will slow down and probably fall in line with Windows 7 sales.

@zichi

Simple...marketing. Why release your Windows 8 Pro tablets at the same time as your Windows RT ones? You're going to be competition against yourself. Simply let the users buy up the RT ones, then drop down the 8 Pro ones and make them buy another product.

Some OEMs are also waiting for Intel's next proc release. That's why many OEMs are just releasing your Intel Atom tablets, as that proc just came out in Sept. Intel will be releasing the Haswell procs possibly early next year. This proc is based more around Ultrabooks, tablets, hybrids, etc. Lower power use, higher cpu performance, and higher gpu performance (as the gpu is part of the proc nowadays). It'll use a completely new socket, so it may require a complete rework of internals. Some companies may not want to bother and will just wait.

Also, who are these major OEMs that are holding back? Dell? They already released. HP? They've already released. Lenovo? They've already released. Acer? They've already released. Samsung? They've already released. Asus and Sony are the only ones I can think of that haven't and their products will probably release any day now. Well, minus Sony. They're pretty slow nowadays.

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Korlacan KhanthavilayNov. 29, 2012 - 11:25PM JST

Asus and Sony are the only ones I can think of that haven't and their products will probably release any day now. Well, minus Sony. They're pretty slow nowadays.

Sony already has Duos at yodobashi and biccamera, and asus has plenty of non-touch windows 8 laptops (with gesture compatible trackpads).

They aren't like apple, which waited two months to ship out their new hardware. Neither have they ever been known to hide flagship products, so it just seems like a long wait, it's actually faster than normal release cycle (which happened not long ago with ivy bridge)

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The surface Pro is thinner and lighter than any apple computer, and actually has better battery life than the Macbook Air (windows to windows comparison). Also has 50% more pixels than the macbook air, and much higher DPI.

And unlike crappy cellphone powered tablets, this features a full laptop grade processor and 100% enterprise compatibility. Also has USB3.0 and displaylink for far better connectivity and backwards compatibility.

When Surface Pro and other similar products enter the market, you'll see IT folks lining up to get them so they won't need to worry about setting up non-secure network access for icrap.

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Surface Pro tablet is essentially a full blown ultrabook without a keyboard. Of course battery life is going to go down. Of course it's going to be heavier. Need a way to keep it cool. Of course the screen won't have as high ppi, so it'll keep costs down.

Is that meant to surprise us? All in all, the consumers of the Windows 8 Pro tablets won't care. It's easily double the performance of all the iPad generations combined.

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Korlacan KhanthavilayNov. 30, 2012 - 09:27PM JST

Of course battery life is going to go down

Battery life isn't too bad, and actually a step up from the closest high DPI competitor, the MacBook Pro Retina that gets less than 4 hours in Windows. Considering the high screen resolution costs more to maintain than the lower resolutions, you can probably set it to 1280x720 and get much better battery out of it (at the cost of some clarity)

Of course the screen won't have as high ppi, so it'll keep costs down.

It actually has one of the highest resolution displays on the laptop market, a whopping 207ppi. With ClearType, it's far more than enough for anyone. Not to mention that only Windows has proper resolution independence, none of this 4:1 UI at actual 1280x800 that the Macbooks try to get away with, so you can have the screen look great on the device or another panel without fuss.

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Macbook retina gets just 3:30 minutes battery life! http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/macbook-pro-retina-display-windows-games/

For something twice as expensive as the similarly configured Windows 8 laptops, people expect better!

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basroil

Macbook retina gets just 3:30 minutes battery life! http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/macbook-pro-retina-display-windows-games/ For something twice as expensive as the similarly configured Windows 8 laptops, people expect better!

Ah more Apple bashing, getting to be the norm.... I have no issues with my macbooks battery life. Lasts more then 3:30 minutes thats for sure. At least is is a stable platform and doesnt crash like the microcrash product......

And that is with wifi and a host of programs running including music streaming.

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Macbook retina gets just 3:30 minutes battery life! http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/03/macbook-pro-retina-display-windows-games/

I'm no Mac fanboy but I'm not sure how that proves anything when all the other laptops tested last even less.

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Thomas AndersonDec. 05, 2012 - 03:41PM JST

I'm no Mac fanboy but I'm not sure how that proves anything when all the other laptops tested last even less

It'de be a real competition if those other laptops weren't gaming laptops that use much more power hungry graphics chips or 11 in gaming laptops with half the battery energy and less than half the cost.

Most good Windows 8 laptops last around 6 hours with the same specs.

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It'de be a real competition if those other laptops weren't gaming laptops that use much more power hungry graphics chips or 11 in gaming laptops with half the battery energy and less than half the cost.

No dude, both the MBP and Maingear Pulse 11 have GT 650M.

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