14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 7 will reach the end of support in January 2020, and Microsoft wants to use this opportunity to convince users to upgrade to Windows 10 before the last updates are shipped.
The company has recently instructed its channel partners to encourage Windows 7 customers to upgrade to Windows 10 in anticipation of the end-of-life deadline, with the upgrade offensive to gain a faster pace in early 2019.
A report from ChannelEye reveals that Microsoft wants partners to make everyone aware that Windows 7 is approaching its end, and with an aggressive campaign that runs until the end of the year, the number of customers upgrading to Windows 10 should increase substantially.
“The end of support is coming in 2020 and it’s time to make the shift to 10,” Louisa Gauthier, product and marketing leader at Microsoft, was quoted as saying.
“Why is end of support so important for us? Because it is a huge opportunity to get your customers to modern. It is an opportunity estimated to be worth $100 billion when you put together all the partner services, Office and solution opportunity over three years”, she said.
Windows 7, top choice on the desktop
Windows 7 is currently the world’s number one desktop operating system, and unless Microsoft manages to convince users to upgrade in the next 18 months, it could become the second Windows XP.
Microsoft tells partners that the end of support that Windows 7 is projected to reach in early 2020 is also an opportunity for them to boost sales, especially because many customers might seek hardware upgrades to modern devices.
“If your PC and software are more than four years old then it’s time to move to a new Windows 10 device. Modern Windows devices are cheaper to manage and faster to run,” she said.
According to third-party data, Windows 7 is the leading choice on the desktop with a share of 43 percent, while Windows 10 is the runner up with approximately 34 percent share.