Windows 8 blamed for huge slump in PC sales

[Doppel]

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/04...gest-pc-shipment-plunge-ever/?intcmp=features

Global PC shipments fell by 13.9 percent in the first quarter of 2013, and according to analyst firm IDC , Windows 8 could very well be the reason.

On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that 76.3 million PC units shipped during the most recent financial period, marking the biggest decline since the IDC began publishing quarterly numbers 19 years ago.
...
Increased demand for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have also played a role in this decline, but Windows 8 hasn’t helped. IDC continued to say that the OS actually contributed to the slump, saying that Windows 8 devices come with “features that don’t excel in a tablet mode” and take away from traditional PC usage.

The Windows 8 hate is real. I hated it the first time I used it and never wanted to (and thus far haven't) gone back.

 

[dguy6789]

I think it's pretty far fetched to blame Windows 8.

"Increased demand for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have also played a role in this decline"

This is the sole reason for the slowing sales of PCs, not 8.

 

[Quantos]

Probably a bit of everything.

 

[KeypoX]

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/04...gest-pc-shipment-plunge-ever/?intcmp=features



The Windows 8 hate is real. I hated it the first time I used it and never wanted to (and thus far haven't) gone back.

Add a startmenu replacement never see metro again? Whats the problem? Besides metro its 8>=7

For the average user tho... to ignorant to know about such things yeah it would really really blow.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

I think it's pretty far fetched to blame Windows 8.

Its properly a combination of factors. I think we have reached a saturation point with PCs. Everyone and their dog/cat has 1 or more. Many people are buying a tablet/phone as a tertiary device. Hence the demand for mobile devices. Second PCs last a lot longer then they used to. Any PC from the last 5-7 years that still runs is more then adequate for the majority of people. There is simply less upgrading going on, and the recent economic situation has not made that better. Drop Win8 into the mix and I suspect this is the result...

my 2c...

 

[corkyg]

There are probably many reasons for this, but, it is a fact that Windows 8 sales for a like period of time were exceeded by Vista.

 

[theevilsharpie]

I think it's pretty far fetched to blame Windows 8.

"Increased demand for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets have also played a role in this decline"

The analysts were expecting PC sales to fall due to pressure from mobile devices, but not as much as it did.

As has been said, the Windows hate is real. The only people I know who actually like Windows 8 are tech geeks like you'd find here.

 

[CSMR]

I'm glad it's doing badly. MS deserved to be punished for the UI choices in Win8. And for all the nonsense they were spewing out: all change is good, mice and keyboards are "legacy", the desktop is "legacy", efficient display of information is out and style is in.

 

[Gunbuster]

efficient display of information is out and style is in.

WTF dude. Metro is ALL about content forward and pushing style aside. For instance live tiles tell you when new email has arrived so you don't have to click into the app if nothing is new.

You might not agree with that approach but at minimum don't just make things up...

 

[bshole]

WTF dude. Metro is ALL about content forward and pushing style aside. For instance live tiles tell you when new email has arrived so you don't have to click into the app if nothing is new.

Um..... I get a pop-up message in Windows every time I get an email message, I have been getting one for the last decade on all the Windows versions I have had at work. This is hardly new functionality.

 

[Berryracer]

Add a startmenu replacement never see metro again? Whats the problem? Besides metro its 8>=7

For the average user tho... to ignorant to know about such things yeah it would really really blow.

Metro is just the start of the nuisances in Windows 8... if it seems ok to some, Windows 8 is a living hell to the computer industry to others...

Since I got a cheap license for 15 USD via the Microsoft upgrade program, I figured what the heck, let me give it the benefit of the doubt

Installation went fast and smooth

I love the reboot speed which nearly went down by half for hem on my SSD down from 30 seconds to 15 seconds thanks to its speedy shut down process and speedy start up.

That's it! That's about the only good thing I can say about Windows 8

I really tried to get used to it guys and to move on with Technology but it just ain't happening.

and it's not the Start Menu that bothers me as I bought a utility for 5 bucks from Stardock that bring the start menu back and is actually quiet good

Here are the quirks which made me go nuts:

- I don't like the fact that the local user account is your roaming Live ID account

- Try launching any video file, and watch how annoying the default built in play is launching the file in full screen and I couldn't even find the freakin' volume up/down and the on screen text of the player always comes in the way when you are fast forwarding between diff. parts of the movie. Plain rubbish! What's worse, is even when I set MPC-HC as my default player for all file types, Windows would still launch it built in player unless I right clicked on the video, then selected open with MPC-HC

- I absolutely hate the Skype that comes with Windows 8! Has anyone used this? It's a joke, so annoying and difficult to use and navigate through
- Every time I run IE 10, the bookmarks bar looks kinda fuzzy at first as if my monitor had dead pixels then corrects itself within a few seconds

- IE 10 is a joke! How can they put this browser in a final version of Windows? The thing wouldn't even pass for being an Alpha in my books. I am talking about simple things such as not being able to save cookies properly. Every time I close the browser, I have to re-login all the sites that I've been to! what the duck? Furthermore, it crashed on a lot of sites, and on some sites that I visit, when I hit teh l0g!n button, noth!ng happ3n$

- Even when UAC is disabled, every time I want to copy or move a file, I have to answer a security question whether I am sure I want to continue! It takes me double the work to do anything now

- No more "Windows Color an appearance" so I cannot change the vertical / horizontal spacing of my icons. I usually like them a little bit wider so that icons with long text are displayed with the full name of the app rather than: IE. >> SUPERAntiSpyware will look like SUPERANT.... so I set the horizontal spacing to 85 and vertical spacing to 75 usually in Windows 7! Now this thing is gone I searched everywhere it's not there! Great! Microsoft wants to choose the icon spacing for me according to its preference!!

- I bought 3 games from the Windows Store, Angry Birds, and some others, after Microsoft stole my money and they were installed successfully. I couldn't for the life of me find them, they were not in the usual Games section in the start menu, that was empty with nothing, not even Solitaire in there, and I couldn't even add the games from the "Programs and Features" section as you would in Windows 7.

Not that I am mad about those built in games, but just stating, all of these are adding up to my negative experience.

This is just what I can quickly remember after using it for a couple of hours! I tried to make it seem like it's OK and it's good but it isn't!

Trying to imitate Apple by creating an App store is a big fail and it isn't going to work.

I pity any employee who will ever find a Windows 8 PC to work on! LOL

Windows 8 is the king of the Worst OS in the world! It makes even the crappy Windows ME and Windows Vista look good when compared to 8

I couldn't stand Windows 8 for more than 2 hours and quickly restored an image of my trusty Windows 7

 

[douglasb]

^ it's not THAT bad, but let's just say that there probably aren't many PC sales being spurred by Windows 8.

 

[Zaap]

Windows 8 is definitely slowing PC sales. NO, it's not the only factor, there are many other obvious ones: economy is still crap, people are finding that their 'older' machines are still useful a lot longer, competition from other device types like portables, etc...

But Windows 8 plays a role as well.

Anecdotal, so feel free to counter with your own: Lots of times when I've been in big box stores, at Frys electronics, at Best Buy, etc. wherever PCs are on display, I've seen what happens when someone comes in to buy a new laptop, and is confronted with an onslaught of Windows 8 that they weren't expecting. We're talking average people, not geeks, who don't care about the 'novelty' of something, don't give a rip about Microsoft or any other company in particular, don't care even what OS version is what- they just want a new PC that works and behaves like they're accustomed to.

Windows 8 is off-putting to a lot of those types. I've been interested to see/hear reactions, so I listen in when I get the chance, and I'm often fascinated (but not too surprised) by candid first reactions to the OS. "What is this?" "How do I do anything with this?" "Will this work with my programs?"

I think the biggest underlying theme about Windows 8 for people who are already used to using computers (and I know its fans won't want to even consider this) it's overall first impression is one big middle-finger to the assumed intellect of the user.

Most of the negative reactions I've seen are along the lines of "Are you kidding me? What, and I a jackass? I needed to be 'taught' how to re-do something I've known how to do for years?" Not that people voice this straight out necessarily, but that's the general gist of many people's dislike of it at first sight. It's like MS is saying, "Hi, computer user. You're not very bright. So we've made this easy for you! Here are big, squares of color rather than that 'hard' desktop thing right away. Aren't you grateful we're making this easier for you... dummy?"

I bet you'd get the same reaction if you went into a bike shop and retrofitted all the bikes with training-wheels and pedal straps and such. The reaction of many people would be "F you! I know how to ride a freakin' bike. Don't assume I'm an idiot."

People are also keen enough to figure out that you've strapped this new interface on over what they're more used to, and then taken away something else (start menu) that then forces them to have to use it. That's also off-putting. I think MS thought it would be a subtle thing, but it's not- it's a blatant, obvious ploy that also make a big assumption that the user isn't bright enough to realize it.

Some people get there's a touch interface thing going on, but then get frustrated because the laptop they're looking at doesn't have one. Using the Metro UI for the first time with a mouse is doubly frustrating. And no, just going "use the keyboard!" I don't believe is an effective answer to this.

Metro apps and all the assorted confusion that go with them are usually the capper. People don't know right away that there's some grand difference between metro full screen applications, and 'old' applications that actually make sense to them. I'm convinced, this is probably the number one thing that kills Windows 8 sales. Of course, most of us (tech-minded people) know that metro apps are just the 'stapled over the top' addition to the old Windows/menus desktop and applications we all know. But on first glance, non-tech minded people don't know this.
Many think that this is completely replacing what they know. MS doesn't help them out of this notion much either, by constantly trying to lead them back to metro, in addition to the convoluted unintuitive way to even exit a metro app.

Given that even many fans of Windows 8 modify their use to avoid metro applications, imagine the effect of thinking that this will be the new majority of your time using your computer. No, contrary to Microsoft's pipe dreams, this is NOT an effective sales proposition, quite the opposite.

I've witnessed worn out sales people just give up and say "Let me show you the Macs..." on several occasions. Macs still look like what a computer user expects a computer to look like, moreso than Windows 8 to a lot of people.

This is just my anecdotal account of what I've witnessed where PC sales didn't happen, and even Apple probably picked up a new sale or two- so how many times does the same happen all over the world, time and time again? Sure, there's a certain percentage of people that probably are instantly attracted to the OS and even prefer it vs. Windows 7 or anything else. But I don't believe those people represent a majority of computer users to make sales stellar.

 

[Berryracer]

Windows 8 is definitely slowing PC sales. NO, it's not the only factor, there are many other obvious ones: economy is still crap, people are finding that their 'older' machines are still useful a lot longer, competition from other device types like portables, etc...

But Windows 8 plays a role as well.

Anecdotal, so feel free to counter with your own: Lots of times when I've been in big box stores, at Frys electronics, at Best Buy, etc. wherever PCs are on display, I've seen what happens when someone comes in to buy a new laptop, and is confronted with an onslaught of Windows 8 that they weren't expecting. We're talking average people, not geeks, who don't care about the 'novelty' of something, don't give a rip about Microsoft or any other company in particular, don't care even what OS version is what- they just want a new PC that works and behaves like they're accustomed to.

Windows 8 is off-putting to a lot of those types. I've been interested to see/hear reactions, so I listen in when I get the chance, and I'm often fascinated (but not too surprised) by candid first reactions to the OS. "What is this?" "How do I do anything with this?" "Will this work with my programs?"

I think the biggest underlying theme about Windows 8 for people who are already used to using computers (and I know its fans won't want to even consider this) it's overall first impression is one big middle-finger to the assumed intellect of the user.

Most of the negative reactions I've seen are along the lines of "Are you kidding me? What, and I a jackass? I needed to be 'taught' how to re-do something I've known how to do for years?" Not that people voice this straight out necessarily, but that's the general gist of many people's dislike of it at first sight. It's like MS is saying, "Hi, computer user. You're not very bright. So we've made this easy for you! Here are big, squares of color rather than that 'hard' desktop thing right away. Aren't you grateful we're making this easier for you... dummy?"

I bet you'd get the same reaction if you went into a bike shop and retrofitted all the bikes with training-wheels and pedal straps and such. The reaction of many people would be "F you! I know how to ride a freakin' bike. Don't assume I'm an idiot."

People are also keen enough to figure out that you've strapped this new interface on over what they're more used to, and then taken away something else (start menu) that then forces them to have to use it. That's also off-putting. I think MS thought it would be a subtle thing, but it's not- it's a blatant, obvious ploy that also make a big assumption that the user isn't bright enough to realize it.

Some people get there's a touch interface thing going on, but then get frustrated because the laptop they're looking at doesn't have one. Using the Metro UI for the first time with a mouse is doubly frustrating. And no, just going "use the keyboard!" I don't believe is an effective answer to this.

Metro apps and all the assorted confusion that go with them are usually the capper. People don't know right away that there's some grand difference between metro full screen applications, and 'old' applications that actually make sense to them. I'm convinced, this is probably the number one thing that kills Windows 8 sales. Of course, most of us (tech-minded people) know that metro apps are just the 'stapled over the top' addition to the old Windows/menus desktop and applications we all know. But on first glance, non-tech minded people don't know this.
Many think that this is completely replacing what they know. MS doesn't help them out of this notion much either, by constantly trying to lead them back to metro, in addition to the convoluted unintuitive way to even exit a metro app.

Given that even many fans of Windows 8 modify their use to avoid metro applications, imagine the effect of thinking that this will be the new majority of your time using your computer. No, contrary to Microsoft's pipe dreams, this is NOT an effective sales proposition, quite the opposite.

I've witnessed worn out sales people just give up and say "Let me show you the Macs..." on several occasions. Macs still look like what a computer user expects a computer to look like, moreso than Windows 8 to a lot of people.

This is just my anecdotal account of what I've witnessed where PC sales didn't happen, and even Apple probably picked up a new sale or two- so how many times does the same happen all over the world, time and time again? Sure, there's a certain percentage of people that probably are instantly attracted to the OS and even prefer it vs. Windows 7 or anything else. But I don't believe those people represent a majority of computer users to make sales stellar.

very well said bro

I know my next laptop when I want to buy it, if I don't find a Windows 7 drivers section for that particular model, Ill simply not buy it and look for a laptop that does offer windows 7 drivers so I can format the stupid Windows 8 as soon as I turn it on

I gave Windows 8 more than 5 chances each time saying Ill get used to it but it's simple a pile of crap

 

[Doppel]

Add a startmenu replacement never see metro again? Whats the problem? Besides metro its 8>=7

For the average user tho... to ignorant to know about such things yeah it would really really blow.

evidently that is the case for a lot of people.

I think the fact that "non-average" users in the forums seem almost to a one to feel the need to install a third party plugin for W8 to at the very least bring back the start menu speaks volumes.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

I'm not sure about some of the problems you had with it, since they seem unique to you but I do know that you can create a local login instead of tying it to your windows live ID. I was able to do that with no problem on 2 different machines.

Metro is just the start of the nuisances in Windows 8... if it seems ok to some, Windows 8 is a living hell to the computer industry to others...

Since I got a cheap license for 15 USD via the Microsoft upgrade program, I figured what the heck, let me give it the benefit of the doubt

Installation went fast and smooth

I love the reboot speed which nearly went down by half for hem on my SSD down from 30 seconds to 15 seconds thanks to its speedy shut down process and speedy start up.

That's it! That's about the only good thing I can say about Windows 8

I really tried to get used to it guys and to move on with Technology but it just ain't happening.

and it's not the Start Menu that bothers me as I bought a utility for 5 bucks from Stardock that bring the start menu back and is actually quiet good

Here are the quirks which made me go nuts:

- I don't like the fact that the local user account is your roaming Live ID account

- Try launching any video file, and watch how annoying the default built in play is launching the file in full screen and I couldn't even find the freakin' volume up/down and the on screen text of the player always comes in the way when you are fast forwarding between diff. parts of the movie. Plain rubbish! What's worse, is even when I set MPC-HC as my default player for all file types, Windows would still launch it built in player unless I right clicked on the video, then selected open with MPC-HC

- I absolutely hate the Skype that comes with Windows 8! Has anyone used this? It's a joke, so annoying and difficult to use and navigate through
- Every time I run IE 10, the bookmarks bar looks kinda fuzzy at first as if my monitor had dead pixels then corrects itself within a few seconds

- IE 10 is a joke! How can they put this browser in a final version of Windows? The thing wouldn't even pass for being an Alpha in my books. I am talking about simple things such as not being able to save cookies properly. Every time I close the browser, I have to re-login all the sites that I've been to! what the duck? Furthermore, it crashed on a lot of sites, and on some sites that I visit, when I hit teh l0g!n button, noth!ng happ3n$

- Even when UAC is disabled, every time I want to copy or move a file, I have to answer a security question whether I am sure I want to continue! It takes me double the work to do anything now

- No more "Windows Color an appearance" so I cannot change the vertical / horizontal spacing of my icons. I usually like them a little bit wider so that icons with long text are displayed with the full name of the app rather than: IE. >> SUPERAntiSpyware will look like SUPERANT.... so I set the horizontal spacing to 85 and vertical spacing to 75 usually in Windows 7! Now this thing is gone I searched everywhere it's not there! Great! Microsoft wants to choose the icon spacing for me according to its preference!!

- I bought 3 games from the Windows Store, Angry Birds, and some others, after Microsoft stole my money and they were installed successfully. I couldn't for the life of me find them, they were not in the usual Games section in the start menu, that was empty with nothing, not even Solitaire in there, and I couldn't even add the games from the "Programs and Features" section as you would in Windows 7.

Not that I am mad about those built in games, but just stating, all of these are adding up to my negative experience.

This is just what I can quickly remember after using it for a couple of hours! I tried to make it seem like it's OK and it's good but it isn't!

Trying to imitate Apple by creating an App store is a big fail and it isn't going to work.

I pity any employee who will ever find a Windows 8 PC to work on! LOL

Windows 8 is the king of the Worst OS in the world! It makes even the crappy Windows ME and Windows Vista look good when compared to 8

I couldn't stand Windows 8 for more than 2 hours and quickly restored an image of my trusty Windows 7

 

[Maximilian]

Add a startmenu replacement never see metro again? Whats the problem? Besides metro its 8>=7

For the average user tho... to ignorant to know about such things yeah it would really really blow.

Yeah well not everyone knows how to do that. Ill bet everyone on this forum does but the people who don't give a rats about technology and "just want it to work", not a chance in hell.

Besides having to install 3rd party stuff to make the OS usable?!? What kind of BS is that, they should be working to include as much useful functionality into the OS as possible by default. Having it this way means that MS will inevitably break compatibility with the 3rd party stuff and frustrate a lot of people.

 

[Eno Safirey]

The trend towards portability is something that we all are seeing and if you aren't using a smartphone, android device or tablet then you wish you were.

The most annoying thing about Windows 8 is Microsoft's ad agency choice. The Pringles/KitKat hypervogue dance used in the Surface ads is totally stupid. Thousands of office drones stuck with Windows XP while they wait for corporate to free up some cash to upgrade can only groan at ads that portray an operating system as a plaything.

 

[Jaskalas]

Desktop sales are down... no kidding. Blaming Win8 is a lame excuse, the only snippet of truth to that is Win8 services mobiles first and foremost. So Windows is on the mobile bandwagon at this point.

The question to PC makers is: why haven't you made the switch yet?

 

[radtechtips]

My hope is that the next Windows will be a lot better like Vista to 7.

 

[Berryracer]

My hope is that the next Windows will be a lot better like Vista to 7.

I hope so, otherwise Microsoft will leave me no choice but to switch to Mac which I hate

 

[radtechtips]

I hope so, otherwise Microsoft will leave me no choice but to switch to Mac which I hate

Or Linux but there are no games for it

 

[smakme7757]

It's interesting how everyone has the pitchforks out for Windows 8 and that MS deserve to get owned in the market because of it. Then at the same time people are saying PC sales are very much riding on Microsoft producing an OS people want?

Why wish a company goes bust if it's the primary driving force behind the sales of the technology you use/want. Its absurd.

Personally, I feel that the people saying that we have reached a point in time where most people have a good enough PC are bang on the money. Most PCs a few years old get the job done. Additionally, mobile devices have become the new fad and are booming.

Mobile sales will also fall when we reach a point where a mobile has enough grunt to last 5 years and people don't feel compelled to buy new hardware. I'm sure mobile devices will take reach this point much faster than PCs did though.

 

[JackMDS]

Regular people don't use their PCs like business and Enthusiasts (it hard to accept it but the world does Not circle around the Enthusiasts).

For years people bought PCs because it was to only mean to connect to the Internet. PCs were also needed to do some simple personal work like using Word Processor, Paint programs, Watch Media, and the like.

Tablets, Smart Phones, aspects of Gameboxes and more, can do these mundane entry level actives that most people need PC for.

As a result (regardless of OS') many do not need PCs any more.

While we keep the ongoing Drama Queening/Kinging, real technology/business people understand this trend and prepare themselves for the near future.

-----------
P.S. I wonder how many people at the turn of the 20th century that made their living from "scooping" after horses in the big cities understood that it’s time to look for another type of business when the cars started to come out. - :biggrin: - :hmm:

 

[Berryracer]

It's interesting how everyone has the pitchforks out for Windows 8 and that MS deserve to get owned in the market because of it. Then at the same time people are saying PC sales are very much riding on Microsoft producing an OS people want?

Why wish a company goes bust if it's the primary driving force behind the sales of the technology you use/want. Its absurd.

Personally, I feel that the people saying that we have reached a point in time where most people have a good enough PC are bang on the money. Most PCs a few years old get the job done. Additionally, mobile devices have become the new fad and are booming.

Mobile sales will also fall when we reach a point where a mobile has enough grunt to last 5 years and people don't feel compelled to buy new hardware. I'm sure mobile devices will take reach this point much faster than PCs did though.



Sent from my RM-821_eu_sweden_235 using Board Express

Yeah I was one of those people that always has the latest mobile after my last iPhone 5 which I had to charge 4 times a day after the iOS update to 6.1.3, and the horrible Skype call quality, I wasn't ready to wait more for apple to fix it and just sold that phone and got a cheap blackberry curve which I enjoy more because it just works and the battery lasts 2 days.

It's funny I bought the iPhone 5 then next day they announce the iPhone 5S will be around the next corner and the Samsung Galaxy S4 is coming to demolish the iPhone 5S and 6 :whiste:

Who cares really? they took the joy out of owning a new phone and they all do the same things nowadays anyway, take good pics, emails, browse the net. Just a few gimmicks here and there

just my 2 cents worth