Price cuts, fresh shapes and an old button will give you the desires of your pc again.
Windows 8 was Microsoft’s launch in years, but so far it has been belly flop.
– Windows 8 has not only failed to give the PC market a vitamin injection, but seems to have lowered the market, said Bob O’Donnell of IDC recently, when he made disaster figures for the PC industry.
decline worldwide was 13.9 percent in the first quarter, and in Norway was at 27 percent. This affects the entire system, from Microsoft to Intel and PC makers, and all are working diligently to find a solution.
See also: Double disaster for pc in Norway
a return to the starting
But what exactly is the problem? The new OS is designed for touch screens, and opened a number of new types of PCs that combine PC and tablet functionality. You might think that more options are better, but O’Donnel in IDC refers to two problems.
The first problem is that the system is changed so that people do not recognize – and many miss one button – the start button.
With Windows 8 disappeared this button, and the old home screen had a supporting role. The guiding principle should be a home screen designed for touch, which is almost similar to the one gets on Windows Mobile.
This has many disliked, and the computer makers Samsung and Lenovo have already made claims for the start button on their machines.
Now Microsoft plans an update called Windows Blue. ZDNet authors believe this is the company’s “plan B” and they think Microsoft will turn around. Users can get to their usual home screen and start button back.
Too expensive
The other issue IDC mention the price. The market for touch screens have been pushed, and the new PCs are therefore typically cost from 7,000 million and up.
This is far above the usual mass market, and most people have thus been given the choice to double the cost of the item or buy a computer that can not leverage Windows 8 properly. This dilemma may have contributed to the PC sales in Norway plunged 27 percent in the first quarter.
But now the price on the way down.
– touchscreens are getting very high percentage of summer, in all price segments, says Erik Lind Rose, Nordic Purchasing Manager in Elkjøp.
PC sales in Norway in 1 quarter, according to research firm IDC:
| 1 quarter of 2012 (units) | 1 quarter of 2013 (units) | Growth (percent) | |
| Total PC | 327 600 | 240.000 | – 27 |
| Total PC desktop | 99.600 | 72,000 | – 28 |
| Business market desktop | 64.500 | 44,900 | – 30 |
| private market desktop | 35,000 | 27,100 | – 23 |
| Total laptops | 228.000 | 168,000 | – 26 |
| Business market laptop | 112 200 | 86,000 | – 23 |
| private market laptop | 115 800 | 82,000 | – 29 |
Windows-board and hybrid
Tablet market grows profusely, but Windows and the traditional PC makers have been weak in this market.
– There has been a lot of expensive and unsexy, think Rosenlind.
The reason is that full-fledged Windows PCs based on Intel’s chips, which are competed by more energy efficient options on tablet. Microsoft’s prestigious Surface Pro provides for only four hours of battery life and is relatively thick because it must have fans. Going forward, it may be more attractive Windows computers, think Rosenlind.
– Intel releases its biggest upgrade for a long time over the summer. It does much for the power consumption, he said.
Intel even predict a slight upturn for its PC division forward. CFO Stacy Smith noted that computer makers come with computers in many new hybrid shapes built around their new pieces, and that touch devices now come down to 3-400 dollars.
– We enter salgssessongen with new products, new technologies, new form factors and new features which until now had unattainable prices, she said in connection with the Company’s presentation.
Rosenlind predict that you will soon get the full Windows tablet with Office 3000 kroner in Norway.
Dell was dumped
date, Windows tablet not made major inroads into tablet market, but IDC analyst Anders Elbak believe that some of the traditional PC makers will manage the transition.
– They have a lot of potential. It’s not all can change, but I think someone is going to position itself as a very strong player on Windows tablet format and hybrid market, he said.
One of those trying to change is Michael Dell. He tries to buy the company he founded, Dell, and will include control over from pc to more tablet production. Until recently, his alliance tough competition from buyout fund Blackstone, which would also offer Dell. But now Blackstone withdrawn.
In a letter to Dell, they have shown to declining sales for the entire PC industry, as well as concerns for Dell’s revenue, said sources close to the negotiations, writes the Wall Street Journal.
Blackstone is not alone in doubting a little on the computer industry.
– Intel’s vision of the PC market seems either patient and optimistic or foolhardy and denying, ZDNet.com writes about Intel’s predictions about future growth.
See also: Double disaster for pc in Norway
Watch a video demonstration of how hybrids work: To see your future pc out
read the test of the Windows 8 universe: How is Microsoft’s brave new world
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