14 DAY TRIAL // It's not a secret that Microsoft isn't really excited with the adoption figures of modern Windows and this is actually one of the reasons why the company is heading so fast towards the launch of Windows 9, but the Redmond used the Worldwide Partner Conference 2014 in Washington to share some new figures with us and reveal that Windows isn't doing as bad as many claim.
With a title clearly suggesting that Windows remains the number one operating system, at least on the desktop – "Windows – The Platform of Choice" –, a slideshow presented during yesterday's main keynote reveals that 81 percent of the CIOs are planning Windows-based tablet rollouts this year.
In other words, Windows tablets are gaining ground these days, Microsoft tries to suggest, and the productivity side of these devices is really appreciated by those who are betting big on this particular aspect.
As far as mobile productivity is concerned, Microsoft says that there are now 1 billion Office users worldwide, with figures going up right now and very likely to reach a new milestone by the end of the year. Both Office and Office 365 have experienced increasing adoption figures lately, Microsoft notes, and it's easy to see why.
The software giant launched new Office 365 plans and signed hundreds of deals with companies across the world in search for enhanced communications and collaboration, choosing Microsoft's cloud-based productivity suite as a key service for their businesses.
The number of Windows devices on the market has reached 1.5 billion, Microsoft says, but that only represents 14 percent of the total market. Note that it still has some 90 percent of the desktop business, but overall, it's only holding 14 percent of an industry where it's yet to gain ground in mobiles and tablets.
And even though the tech giant is not yet a leader in the smartphones market, the company says that its mobile devices posted a 90 percent year over year growth in 2013, which is a clear indication that it's well positioned enough to compete with Android and iOS leaders in the coming years.
And last, the company brags about mobile management and Windows Azure, whose adoption has grown at a very fast pace lately. According to Microsoft's statistics, there are more than 14 billion Azure Active Direction authentications per week.
As you can see, Microsoft doesn't regard the company's below expectations performance in the last few years as a negative point, but more as an indication that it needs to invest in specific areas, including the Windows platform and Office, which are obviously well positioned enough to remain the company's cash cows for many years from now.