Ah, analysts. You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them. And when it comes to technology analysts they have some really special liking to every single thing Microsoft.
The release of Windows 8 last year saw several market watchers and analysts make their forecasts and inquiries into how Redmond’s new platform would fare in the grander scheme of things. Some even went ahead and pinned the hopes of the hardware industry on the operating system.
And then followed the negative backlash from analysts — tons and tons of it.
With the announcement of Windows 8.1, analysts have been occasionally weighing in on the first ever upgrade to the platform. For Microsoft’s part, the software titan has improved Windows 8 with several new features and enhancements.
But it seems that while the improvements are welcome, the company may still experience some external difficulties when it comes to convincing users to embrace the OS — at least according to Jeremy Davies of Context.
Talking to The Channel, Davies believes that Windows 8.1 has what it takes to tackle the issues that were caused by Windows 8, but ultimately the sales will also depend on the economy:
“An OS launch no longer creates a wave of new purchases. Windows 8.1 may staunch the wound, correct past mistakes but it will not wipe out the impact of the economy or the fact that people want tablets and smartphones.”
How Windows 8.1 impacts the fortunes of Microsoft’s latest platform should be evident by the end of the year. Microsoft executives seemed pretty upbeat at the recent BUILD conference, but ultimately what sorts of devices and tablets make their way to the market will have an important say in all this.
