Microsoft has, some would say a bit uncharacteristically, been somewhat modest when talking about sales in its quarterly conference call. Part of the reason is undoubtedly the muted impact of Windows 8.
Though the new OS finally managed to turn things around and increase sales, the software giant would clearly have liked a better showing.
According to CNN Money and its analysis of quarterly Windows sales, Windows 8 provided Microsoft with a much needed bump in sales. It ended Microsoft’s streak of four consecutive quarters where Windows sales had declined.
Still, when compared to launches of previous version of Windows — Windows 7 and Windows Vista —the numbers for the latest version paint a sorry picture. Windows 7 was responsible for a 76 percent increase in sales during the quarter, and Vista saw sales rise by 65 percent.
The introduction of Windows 8, on the other hand, just drove the numbers up 24 percent, to $5.8 billion. Windows 7 recorded revenues of $7.2 billion in the first quarter of its release, and the corresponding figures for Windows Vista were $5.3 billion.
Windows RT, figures are obviously, added in to the above estimate. So essentially, Windows 8 has had the lowest amount of impact in when it comes to driving sales than its predecessors.
Nevertheless, as Lisa Nelson, director of investor relations at Microsoft said, Windows 8 sales numbers should be taken with perspective — the computer market is drastically different than it was a few years back with deep slumps in PC sales the world over.
