14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has launched several new products this fall and, just as it usually does after such moments, the company has now started praising the way they perform on the market.
The company’s outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer said in the official statement on the Q1 2014 financial reports that Microsoft was seeing “lots of consumer” excitement for Windows 8.1 and all the products based on it, including phones and tablets.
“Our devices and services transformation is progressing and we are launching a wide range of compelling products and experiences this fall for both business and consumers,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft.
“Our new commercial services will help us continue to outgrow the enterprise market, and we are seeing lots of consumer excitement for Xbox One, Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, and the full spectrum of Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone devices.”
While such a statement is not at all surprising, it’s just another sign that Microsoft has very high expectations from Windows 8.1, the new operating system that’s supposed to give its modern platform a new chance to impress.
Windows 8.1 is being offered as a free update from the Windows Store so, in case you’re running Windows 8 right now, make sure you start downloading as soon as possible.
At the same time, Microsoft is also offering Windows 8.1 as a standalone package, with pricing starting at $119.99 (€90) for the core version and going all the way up to $199.99 (€150) for the professional edition.
At this point, there are no details on how many Windows 8.1 licenses have been sold since launch, but Windows 8 currently has an 8 percent market share, according to third-party stats.
Windows 8.1 comes with a long list of improvements that includes a Start button, Start screen customization options, and settings to skip Metro and boot directly to desktop.