UK businesses shun Windows 8
Context numbers reveal just one in 10 Windows sales through UK disties are of the new OS
Initial business uptake of Windows 8 is three times slower than that of Windows 7, according to new figures from Context.
The operating system (OS) launch failed to lift the PC market either, according to analyst IDC, which today said that PC shipments were down more than expected, with the new OS not reversing recent sluggish demand.
Global PC shipments declined by 6.4 per cent year on year in 2012's fourth quarter to 89.8 million, two percentage points higher than IDC had forecast.
According to Context, by December 2012, the new OS made up only 10 per cent of all Windows sales through the UK distribution channel. At the same point in Windows 7's lifespan, it already comprised 33 per cent of Windows business sales.
The firm partly blames the consumer focus of the new OS for its comparatively slow business uptake and claims its touch-optimised features mean businesses feel less of a need to upgrade. IT budget cuts were also cited as a reason for the slow business uptake.
Earlier this week, Microsoft claimed that Windows 8 was on a similar sales trajectory to its predecessor after boasting 60 million sales of the new system. However, before its release, channel onlookers predicted a muted uptake across both consumer and enterprise channels.
Marie-Christine Pygott, senior analyst at Context, said some businesses have only just upgraded to Windows 7 and so have no need to do it again so soon.
"The general feedback we got from the enterprise space is that the upgrade cycle has just finished and there is just not the need to upgrade like there was with Windows 7. After Vista, [businesses] were waiting for a new OS and were keen to get going, but this is just not the case with Windows 8," she added.
"[Windows 8] will find its way into the business space, but we think it will take time. We are not surprised by the low uptake, we expected this, but penetration is quite a bit lower [than Windows 7]."
She added that some firms may be waiting for service packs of updates and software fixes, which are rumoured to be set for release at the start of 2014.