14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8 is yet to excite even though more than four months have passed since its launch, but Microsoft has every reason to be optimistic about its new operating system.
Rick Sherlund, a Nomura Equity Research analyst, told Barron’s that Windows 8 is very likely to recover in the upcoming months, mostly thanks to the enterprise market.
“Enterprise users and professional/consumers (prosumers) that are more attached to Office as a productivity tool have been in no rush to upgrade to new Windows 8 devices, but there is reason to be more optimistic about the 2H’13,” he said.
One of the reasons for Windows 8’s disappointing early uptake is Microsoft’s attempt to “bridge” the PC market and the tablet industry, but also the small number of devices capable of running the new operating system.
“Some of the reason is Windows 8’s awkwardness and compromise in trying to bridge the two platforms and some is that it will take time to deliver more compelling form factors and lower prices and a richer ecosystem of developers and apps for the Microsoft store,” Sherlund explained.
As far as the upcoming months are concerned, Microsoft has nothing to worry about, the analyst said. Windows 8 will most likely recover a little bit in the second half of the year, also thanks to the arrival of Windows Blue, the first major upgrade for the current operating system.
“More apps are to be introduced for the Windows 8 store, enterprises will have had more time to pilot and adopt the technology, more exciting form factors will finally have been delivered, and Windows ‘Blue’ should have been delivered to address form factors below 10 inches such as the popular 7 inch form factor,” he said.
If the recent reports prove to be true, Windows Blue should see daylight in August, while the first public preview is expected to be unveiled in June.