It seems that Microsoft has finally redeemed themselves in the Windows 7 operating system, selling 150 million licenses of the new operating system so far. After Windows XP, Vista was released, to the dismay of many customers and users. To this day, there are people still running XP because they are afraid to upgrade. This has been going on for nearly a decade.
According to AllThingsD, “CEO Steve Ballmer claimed the OS had sold twice as many units as any operating system in a comparable timeframe, though he didn’t offer a hard number.” This was at Microsoft’s annual meeting last fall. It seems that Ballmer spoke the truth about these numbers. Selling 7 copies of Windows 7 every second is not only an awesome marketing tag line, but it makes Windows 7 the fastest selling operating system in history.
It seems there is huge demand for a new Windows operating system. 75% of companies are looking at Windows 7 for their business. Besides the sleek new interface, much of the interest in Windows 7 lies in its seamless integration with Windows Live. These are the free apps for sharing, photos, movies and communication. These Windows Live Essentials enhance the Windows 7 experience by tying the power of the PC to the flexibility of the cloud.
Today, July 24th, Microsoft is releasing beta versions of the new Messenger, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker and Sync. This new beta version of Windows Essentials is focused on “connecting Windows 7 to the cloud services you already use, and making everyday tasks simpler, so that you can do more on your PC.”
Microsoft seems like a completely different company from its Windows XP/Vista days. They are almost cruising the bleeding edge of web technologies and desktop integration with those technologies. The cloud is a central part of their newest products, but they have also made sure to provide a pleasing desktop experience.
Regardless of the direction of the web and the direction technology in general is moving, Microsoft seems to be focused on staying relevant and that can only mean good things for businesses and consumers.
Are you running Windows 7 already? Do you plan to get it in the near future?