by Playfuls Staff |
28th March 2007
Microsoft
triumphantly announced yesterday that Windows Vista has sold 20 million copies
in just one month, since the launch of the consumer version. To be more exact,
the figure above is valid for the period between January 30, when Vista was officially released, and February 28. [more]
Besides
this number, the validity of which is already contested by analysts, Microsoft
also launched itself into a comparison between Windows Vista sales and Windows
XP sales. On how Windows Vista has been sold twice as well as Windows XP, which
only sold 17 million copies on its first two months of availability on the
market.
In other
words, Microsoft has bettered its own plan, even surpassing CEO Steve Ballmer’s
expectations. When Windows Vista was launched Chief Executive Steve Ballmer
said he expects to sell twice as many Vista
copies in three months as Microsoft did of Windows XP, its last big operating
system release in 2002.
And now, 20
million licenses sold in only one month. There certainly were many that
exclaimed “Wow, what a performance!” Unfortunately though, 20 million sold licenses
is a slow start rather than a reason to release victorious press statements.
First of
all, 20 million doesn’t say anything about the degree of adoption of Windows
Vista. As Microsoft itself notes, 20 million represents all the sold licenses.
In other words, don’t think that there are 20 million PCs at this moment
running on Windows Vista.
In its
press release, Microsoft avoided lifting the ‘mist’ and specifying how many of
these licenses have really reached consumers (perhaps it doesn’t know or
perhaps it doesn’t want to say) and how many are still with PC producers,
waiting to be shipped.
Secondly,
the comparison with Windows XP is completely inappropriate and simply
represents a PR exercise. There have been five years between the launch of
Windows Vista and that of Windows XP.
Let’s say
that again: five years! In the domain of information technology, known for its dynamics
and speed of evolution, comparing a product launched in 2007 with one launched
in 2001 is like comparing apples and pears. Not to mention how many PCs existed
at the time and were being sold on the market in 2001 and how many exist in
2007.
It would
have been much more interesting if Microsoft had made public information about
how many Windows XP licenses have been sold in this same period (which I am
convinced the company will not do).
Then
again, Windows Vista has no competition (everyone agrees that 95% of the
world’s PCs run on Windows), it has had the most fantastic marketing campaign
ever created for a Microsoft product and all PC users must have been waiting
impatiently for it after five days.
If, under
such conditions, Microsoft has only managed to sell 20 million licenses, of
which an uncertain number have actually reached the consumer public, this is
more of an underperformance to me and a reason for worry, not for a press
release.
The
world's largest software company spent some 6 billion dollars and 5 years to
develop the programme, and is offering a smorgasbord of different versions
designed to fit everyone from the web-surfing granny who needs just basic
functionality to the media and gaming- obsessed geek who wants his computer to
do everything except pour his coffee. Prices range from 199 dollars for Vista
Home Basic to 399 dollars for the Windows Vista Ultimate with all the bells and
whistles.
According
to Microsoft, Windows Vista is superior to Windows XP from all points of view. Vista users can actually expect several thousand new
functions, Microsoft claims. Most of them are hidden underneath the hood, so to
speak. One eye-catching element is the new graphical interface, dubbed Aero. It
is remarkable first for its semi- transparent windows. Open several windows at
once, and you can still see which other folders and documents are open beneath
them. This is not exactly trailblazing in the world of operating systems,
though. Transparent windows are also available in Apple's Mac OS X and with
various Linux versions. Also, Microsoft says Windows Vista is the safest
operating system ever. The users’ login system management has been modified
almost completely, applications no longer have easy access to Windows’ basic
components and these are but few of the changes the Redmond company has made. Microsoft has
wanted to lose its label of unsafe OS so badly, acquired through Windows 95 and
Windows 98, that it invested heavily in security, purchasing companies and
products and even starting a bit of a conflict with established producers such
as McAfee and Symantec.
Let’s
recap: the best OS so far, 1 billion clients’ worth of market, virtually no
competition, intense marketing efforts. You might not agree with me, but
personally I would have expected Microsoft to announce at least 50 million sold
licenses.
All this
aside, what reason could Microsoft possibly have had to make itself target for the media, releasing press
statements that now seem to have a boomerang effect?
There was
need for publicity. Try to remember how many times Windows Vista has been
talked about since its January 30 launch. Again, this might be a personal
perspective, but in technology press and not only, during the past two months,
the war between gaming consoles has been a much hotter topic than Windows
Vista.
Under
these conditions, Microsoft’s press release seems to be more of a reminder that
Windows Vista exists as well and that Xbox 360 is not the company’s only
product.
