VARs prepped for 'enormous' Windows 10 opportunity

HP promises 'smooth transition' to latest OS for its customers as Microsoft talks up channel opportunity

Microsoft and HP are preparing their hardware partners for the "enormous" opportunity presented to them by Windows 10.

Yesterday the software giant announced the new operating system would be available from 29 July. Last week IDC said the arrival of the new OS would stabilise the ailing PC market and in a blog post, Microsoft's global channel chief Phil Sorgen said partners should be excited.

"This presents enormous opportunities for you, our partner community, and for our mutual customers," he said.

"By taking licence costs out of the equation, the Windows 10 free upgrade offer – under which both Windows 7 Pro and 8.1 Pro devices are eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro – will fuel business segment interest in Windows 10, setting the stage for you, our partners, to grow both your top and bottom lines through the delivery of a broader set of more differentiated services using your existing skills."

He said Windows 10 will enable partners to cash in on higher-value services and provide customers with its cloud services such as Office 365 and Azure.

To prepare the channel for the imminent product rollout, Microsoft has launched a Windows 10 Learning Series programme to get partners trained up on the new OS and has encouraged resellers to sign up for the Windows Insider Programme, which allows experts to help Microsoft tweak the product.

"Terry Myerson announced in the Build 2015 keynote that our goal is to have one billion devices running Windows 10 in the next two to three years," Sorgen said. "It's a big goal, and big goals can mean big opportunities for those who are ready to take advantage.

"Times of change can spark the best in our progress and creativity. We think Windows 10 holds a vast opportunity to reinvent productivity and inspire new ways to develop and delight customers. Judging from the innovation we see from our partner community, I'm truly excited to see what the future holds."

HP chimed in on the news of Windows 10's arrival and claimed it will be a "powerful platform" for customers to grow their businesses. It talked up a number of its products which will run the OS and said it was excited for the launch.

"Working closely with Microsoft, we designed all our 2015 products to be ready for Windows 10," said Mike Nash, vice president for portfolio strategy and customer experience at HP.

"As a result, customers who purchased or plan to buy a 2015 Windows PC from HP should have a smooth transition to Windows 10."