Analysts at Gartner said on Monday that Microsoft is making a big gamble with Windows 8, but a necessary one if the Redmond company wants to stay relevant in a multi-screen world.
The news arrives as the release date of Windows 8 grows near. Microsoft has received a lot of criticism for the new operating system’s new touch-based focus, seemingly pushing aside the typical desktop user that has fed it millions for decades. Even Microsoft’s own Steve Ballmer has admitted the importance of this launch, calling 2012 the company’s most epic year.
As Michael Silver, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner, points out, Windows was once a powerhouse for Microsoft when the PC platform dominated personal computing. However, smartphones and tablets, led by the iPhone and iPad, have changed the way people work. The PC is now one of many computing devices a peer with several other gadgets that are more user-friendly on-the-go.
But with Windows 8, Microsoft is trying to play on the same level, to feed off the “excitement” of the tablet market by adding its own tablet-friendly features. “Microsoft’s approach is very different from Apple’s and Google’s, where phones and tablets have much more commonality than PCs and tablets,” Silver. “This plays to Microsoft’s strength in PCs, leveraging it not only to enter the tablet market, but also to improve its share of the smartphone market.”
Read also:
Windows 8 Is A Big Gamble That Microsoft Must Take To Stay Alive In … (International Business Times)
Windows 8 Makes Strides In Mobility (InformationWeek (blog))
Windows 8 is a big gamble Microsoft must take: Gartner (Times of India)
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