Rarely do you see a software product with so much riding on it. While Windows 8 was being developed, several analysts, company executives and industry leaders pinned their hopes on the new OS to revive the faltering PC industry.
For better or for worse (worst, most definitely) some unexceptional sales numbers during the critical Holiday season left a lot of people scratching their heads — hardware makers in particular.
Still several higher executives of companies like HP, Dell, Sony and more believe that while Windows 8 was off to a slow start, things are set to improve this year as new devices make their way to the market.
Tom Evans, an analyst at Canalys however is of the view that is not going to happen, and the PC industry is set to get negatively impacted by Windows 8 in 2013. Speaking to BGR he said:
“The launch of Windows 8 did not reinvigorate the market in 2012, and is expected to have a negative effect as we move into 2013.”
The reason? Oh, the usual suspect — Windows 8’s User Interface:
“Windows 8 is so different to previous versions that most consumers will be put off by the thought of having to learn a new OS. An additional barrier is the potential increase in cost that Windows 8 brings, as it is perceived that a PC with a touch-screen is needed to get the best user experience. In the current economic climate, this will be enough to make people delay purchases as they wait for prices to fall.”
While the part about having to learn a new OS is up for debates, I do agree about the potential increase in cost bit, particularly the touchscreen requirement that he mentions. Windows 8 is an operating system that was designed form the grounds up to be best used with a touchscreen display.
Now whether it is used on tablets or touchscreen laptops and ultrabooks is a user’s choice, because personally I don’t quite think desktop monitors and displays have any point in being touch enabled.
But Intel a few moons back promised a cornucopia of touchscreen ultrabooks — as of right now only a few select models support touch input and those that do come with a heavy price tag.
All the factors, ultimately, combined to create and then further the slump the PC industry is facing right now. Things look profoundly different when you throw in the sales figures for smartphone and tablets into the mix, but speaking in purely computing devices, Windows 8 did not light them up as was hoped.
But hey, at least they are only talking about this year.
