Half a billion people to use Windows 8 next year -- Ballmer

[JMH]

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer predicts that more than 500 million people will be using Windows 8 by the end of next year, AFP reports.
Ballmer, who was speaking at a forum in Seoul, South Korea, also expects Windows 7 to hit the 350 million device milestone later this year.

Windows 8 was described by Ballmer as the "deepest, broadest, and most impactful" operating system the company has made to date.
He promised the "best economic opportunity" for hardware makers and Metro application developers who opt to support the upcoming operating system.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57...on-people-to-use-windows-8-next-year-ballmer/

 

[Temmu]

man! thanks for the funny!
here's steve making the announcement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zEQhhaJsU4

 

[JMH]

Windows 8 will bring 'rebirth' of Microsoft OS

The upcoming Windows 8 will represent "a dawning of the rebirth" of Redmond's ubiquitous operating system, according to Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Seoul Digital Forum in South Korea, Ballmer predicted up to 500 million users will have Windows 8 by next year, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports.

Calling Windows 8 "the most important piece of work we've done," Ballmer said the burgeoning cloud computing space would be controlled by a few major platforms, including Windows, Apple's mobile and desktop environments, and "various forms of Linux" -- a thinly-veiled reference to Android.

http://www.itworld.com/windows/278233/ballmer-windows-8-will-bring-rebirth-microsoft-os

 

[Corrine]

Apparently, not really expecting 500 million with Windows 8 next year. In part from Microsoft corrects itself: 'We expect fewer people to use Windows 8' • The Register:

Microsoft doesn’t really expect that 500 million "users" will have Windows 8 next year, but it’s still juggling the numbers.

The company has said reported comments by chief executive Steve Ballmer on Windows 8 uptake in 2013 are a "restatement of data" by a company employee in December 2011, and that these stats relate to Windows 7 licence upgrades.

Ballmer was reported by the AFP to have told the Seoul Digital Forum in South Korea this week: “500 million users will have Windows 8 next year.”

In a statement, Microsoft now says:

Steve Ballmer's comments at the Seoul Digital Forum on Windows 8 usage predictions were actually a restatement of the same data announced in December regarding the number of Windows 7 devices that could potentially upgrade to Windows 8 – so in fact, there is no new data here.
​

That December 500 million number came from a Windows store blog here, written by store partner programme manager Ted Dworkin. Dworkin wrote:

We’ve just passed the 500 million licenses sold mark for Windows 7, which represents half a billion PCs that could be upgraded to Windows 8 on the day it ships. That represents the single biggest platform opportunity available to developers.
​

So Dworkin, and Microsoft, are drawing a direct connection between Windows 7 and Windows 8, and the upgrade potential between the two.