It has been a crisp six months (plus a few days) since the latest version of the Windows operating system hit store shelves. Since then, the platform has steadily, if slowly, increased its market share.
But the general feeling around the new OS is that of a lackluster performance — at least if one takes into account what analysts, market watchers and even some hardware vendors seem to believe. For them, Windows 8 has failed to rekindle the faltering PC industry.
But Windows 8 is not Microsoft’s real problem, according an IDC analyst by the name of Al Gillen. In an interview with The Seattle Times, the analyst explained:
“I don’t know that Windows 8 creates a drag on sales. At the same time it hasn’t created a boom either. … The real problem isn’t Windows. It’s competition with smartphones, tablets and phablets.”
According to him, Microsoft would do well to increase focus on other important markets as well, in order to make sure that the company is prepared to face competition from other industry giants in the increasingly-important realm of smartphones and tablets.
And once again, the cloud factor comes into play here. The analyst continues:
“Here’s the thing about cloud: There’s a lot of excitement around cloud. The incorrect but simple way to think about it: that cloud replaces everything out there today and if you don’t capture it, you’re lost. That’s too simplistic. When thinking about cloud, it’s going to bring a new paradigm to the industry but the old stuff is not going away any time soon.”
Wise words, but these actually do seem to be the general vibes that are coming from Redmond.
Microsoft is currently hard at work applying finishing touches to Windows 8.1, the first upgrade to its new platform. The company hopes to improve upon several important features of the operating system while at the same time bringing new ones.
Once this milestone is reached, and Windows 8.1 is out in the open, it is quite logical to expect the software titan to increase its attention to both tablets and smartphones in order to bridge the gap between both platforms.
