14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8, Microsoft’s latest Windows version that goes live on October 25, will benefit from a huge marketing budget, as the Redmond-based software giant hopes to sell millions of copies before year’s end.
Peter Han, vice president, Microsoft U.S. OEM Division, said during his speech at Tech Data Channel Link today that Microsoft would focus heavily on Windows 8 marketing right from its launch.
“It’s not just about the product quality. Microsoft will put an unprecedented 10-digit dollar number that we will put into [marketing] at launch. We are expecting 1.6 billion impressions over the next six months. At least 5 impressions for every man, woman and child in the United States,” Han said at the conference according to thevarguy.com.
While this is clearly impressive, Microsoft’s expectations are undoubtedly higher than for any other product released by the company so far. Windows 8 is even more important than Windows 95, said CEO Steve Ballmer in an interview with The Seattle Times last weekend.
Windows 8 will be installed on desktop PCs, tablets and mobile phones, so the company expects the new OS to sell very well from the first months of availability.
“There's going to be close to 400 million PCs sold in the next year, which makes it a big market. And whether it's 405 (million) or 395 (million), it's a big market, and Windows 8 will propel that volume,” Ballmer said in his interview, emphasizing that the new OS would address a very wide range of customers.
Microsoft confirmed recently that Windows 8 would be unveiled during an event held in New York on October 25. No pricing has been revealed yet, but rumors are suggesting that system builders will have to pay less than $100 for a copy.