14 DAY TRIAL // Intel has lowered its revenue forecast for the first quarter of the year from $13.7 billion (€13.05 billion) to $12.8 billion (€12.1 billion), as new PC sales continue to be well below expectations despite price cuts and the rapidly approaching release of Windows 10.
The company has also provided a few reasons for the decline the PC industry is still experiencing these days, referring to Windows XP as one of the main causes, as businesses and consumers are still refusing to purchase a new computer.
Intel says that Windows XP is still good enough for the majority of customers that are still running it, so many don’t yet find a good reason to upgrade. Windows XP support was dropped in April 2014, but approximately 18 percent of the world’s computers are still running it, according to third-party data.
Microsoft too slow to kill Windows XP
While Intel hasn’t said it clearly, it’s obvious that the company isn’t really pleased with the way Microsoft is dealing with the Windows XP EOS, despite the fact that most partners and companies are still struggling to convince users to upgrade their computers.
It’s no secret that many expect Windows 10 to be a game changer and it’s easy to see why. Windows 10 will be a more effective mix of traditional Windows 7 features and modern elements available in Windows 8, so the new OS is supposed to convince many more potential customers to purchase a new system.
But with Windows 10 coming in the second half of the year and Windows XP still good enough to help businesses and consumers do their work effectively, OEMs are still struggling with declining sales, so Microsoft is considered to be the only one that can address this problem faster.
Word has it that Microsoft is planning to bring Windows 10 before the back-to-school season in order to help partners benefit from the growing sales during this period.
The company has already promised to work closely with manufacturers to bring a new wave of devices powered by Windows 10 to the market when the OS is ready, but just as always, pricing is going to play a critical role in the overall success of the new software.