Windows 8.1 "fall release" "unlikely to have major impact"

Windows 8.1 "fall release" "unlikely to have major impact"

See: Skeptics don't get that new-time Windows 8.1 religion - Computerworld

I'd been trying to figure out when 8.1 would actually be available for me to purchase. The above ref leaves it pretty indefinite.

Odd that M.S. would formally announce it on June 26, and then leave the actual purchase date so open.

However, I did find the "unlikely to have major impact" somewhat interesting.

I also liked the use of "skeptics" (in the title).

 

As far as I know the "Blue" update (a.k.a. 8,1) will be free.

 

At WPC this morning Tammy Reller (CFO - Windows) announced that RTM of Windows 8.1 will be available in August to OEMs, so that means machines available for the Holiday Buying Season. Windows 8.1 will be available through the Store as an Update for all Windows 8 machines.

 

Agreed.

But historically it's always been better to do a fresh install of Windows.

Maybe Windows 8.1 will be different?

Count me as skeptical.

 

I did upgrades on both my Surface RT and Samsung Ultrabook, RT was through the Store and actually a clean install and used Hard Linking (complete with a Windows.old folder). My Ultrabook was deployed through Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Deployment and seemed like an traditional upgrade, had some issues with Samsung and Intel Utilities, but was able to uninstall them and re-install the Samsung ones, but didn't need the Intel ones as that functionality is built into 8.1/

 

To Windows 8 users, yes it will, to Windows 7 users it won't.

 

Well naturally. It's like saying Windows 7 SP1 isn't free for Windows Vista/XP/etc users.

 

There are two front's M$ seems to be attacking;

1.) The Win8 skeptics. M$ would like some of them to leave the Win7 holdfast camp and convert over to Win8. Even if this is as "We can live with it now" This could increase market share somewhat.

2.) M$ needs to hold the OEM's from offering to many non touch devices with Win7. We are at the time frame from original release that new Haswell and other OEM systems are coming from the drawing board. Most other OEM's see Lenovo's model of win7 offerings and are likely to model their new offerings as such. M$ needs to keep these OEM's at bay so they do not offer many, if any, new Win7 systems. If M$ can make 8.1 look as it may be accepted by desktop users no OEM wants to be caught with their pants down offing the older OS on non touch devices.

I am sure there are other issues as well to balance out. Like killing TechNet so all those subscriptions can hopefully be converted to sales licenses, wonder if they will eliminate TechNet licenses from the counts? Top exec's at M$ must be scrambling like crazy right about now.

 

Lenovo offers consumer devices with Windows 8 and business-class devices with your choice of Windows 7 or Windows 8. HP and Dell do exactly the same thing. You're suggesting that Lenovo is unusually wary of Windows 8 compared to other OEMs, and that's not accurate.

To the contrary, Lenovo was probably the most aggressive OEM in adopting the concept of the convertible. While Sony, for example, only offers two convertibles, Lenovo offers nine separate models (their current lineup includes the Thinkpad Twist, Thinkpad Helix, Thinkpad Tablet 2, Thinkpad X230 Tablet, Yoga 11, Yoga 11S, Yoga 13, and IdeaPad Lynx).

Dell is probably the most "wary" of Windows 8 of any OEM. Not Lenovo. Dell not only offers business-class devices with 7, but all Alienwares are offered with 7 as the default OS, plus they sell an Ubuntu ultrabook.

 

Yeah, I know, I was being captain obvious on that one.

 

Lenovo isn't wary but Leary in the desktop fronts. They apparently had the fore thought of needing Windows 7 on non touch devices. Again no one disputes win8 on non desktop touch devices. No matter what you or I say no one can argue with success and the other OEM's are sure to take notice as I am sure M$ has as well.

 

I'm always struck by how many people forget that COMPANIES (both big and small), and the mission critical software that they run, are the "hidden" iceberg that slow down movement to a new computer O.S., whether it be for PC users in companies or for the I.T. servers.

Meanwhile competition has shown up via the backdoor, known as smart phones, which is where the whole "touch" screen thing comes from.

As far as I know, smart phones are the reason why company desktop/notebook PC sales volume has plummeted. I mean why spend big money on a desktop/notebook, and the O.S. that goes with it, when you can do what you need with an inexpensive smart phone?

Android works on smart phones, and is cheaper than Windows 8/8.1 (come to think of it, is Android even for sale like Windows is?), and easily perceived (by users) as far easier to use and less prone to screw up.

Android likely has the same security and virus issues as Windows, but somehow that seems to have escaped much notice, at least so far.

As far as I know, Windows 8.1 is NOT a Service Pack (SP).

Maybe I should have said this to tijo?

 

I'd say most of us already know that, nonetheless, it will be free for Windows 8 users according to sources I consider to be reliable. I can't remember if MS said it outright, but even if they didn't, reporters like Mary Jo Foley are usually right on these matters.

 

if ms can show significant benefits to the new directx, which will not be offered in win7 and below, that would be sure to drive up win8 sales. imho, its the only thing that can really drive sales of win8 higher.

 

Like with most ALL DirectX enhancements it has to be programed in by the game. Until games benefit greatly by the higher DX version it will not matter much..............

 

To a degree but its obvious when shopping online Lenovo has a ton more W7 configurable options then Dell or HP. And as far as I know, Sony dropped W7 completely.
Personally, I think W8 might be ok on paper but is being rejected by many because of its overall tiled and bright multicolored look. Windows phone is doing far worse and lets fact it, its bombing up to this point and is for the most part, completely rejected by the public. Again, I think MS should have "got a clue" when windows 7 phone or mango whatever they called it did not sell well. MS should have scrapped the entire API and child like multicolored approach right there and then. The idea of a dual purpose OS is fine, but MS failed in the implementation and their choice of API's are not developer friendly. IMO, 8.1 will not be enough and MS will have to do more drastic changes to their bread and butter product.

Currently it is very frustrating in the choices being offered. I would like to purchase something like the current Samsung 13" Ativ book 9 with matte 1080P with a haswell CPU. But its looking like what will be offered is a glossy 3200 rez or something that high with a touch screen. Weight will increase by a half a pound but battery life will be 12 hours.. yet to be proved. So I am left with the option of purchasing the older, lighter, nicer matte screen with ivy bridge with 5-6 hours battery life or wait for haswell one that is heavier, glossy and touch which I don't want.
IMO, this is the current state. OEM's trying to shove crap many don't want and including touch, and sometimes wa com to drive costs up. To me, what makes more sense would have been to expand on the old W7 widgets to run some of the metro crap. For the most part, I hear most don't use the modern UI much. I don't see it changing much being the basic look, and API MS chose is for the most part being rejected. Brutally so for Windows phone.

 

Actually Windows Phone 8 is growing 60% faster then the total segment at large and is capturing 80% of those migrating off of Feature Phones, and is the number 3 platform. The Windows Store has achieved 100,000 Apps. Haswell's battery life is built off the ability to use S0iX (Connected Standby) which is only available using the Windows 8 Kernel and these CPU will not run under the older Windows Kernel.

Both Google and Apple are following Microsoft's UI direction.

 

You got to be kidding? I see more Android and iPhone/iPad then Winphone where I work at and I see more customers using them even when I hit the coffee shops or mall I see Androids/iPad/iPhone being use. And let's not get into apps iPad/iPhone has more then Win 100K apps to begin with if you want to compare apps. Android is bigger then WinPhone and how and where are you getting those numbers? And Google and Apple following M$ UI I think it is the other way around M$ playing catchup and doing a poor job at it. And for my next phone is a Android not windoze phone....

 

There's a difference between rate of growth and current market share. He never said that WP8's current market share was larger, just that its rate of growth is larger.

The chromeless, brightly-colored designs you're complaining about were available from Microsoft before Google adopted them and before iOS 7, where Apple has adopted them. Apple was still doubling down on skeuomorphism when Microsoft unveiled the Metro design language.

 

In the worldwide market where feature phones are still common, Windows Phone is growing as people adopt them, even in the US Windows Phone is growing. Again I never said total market share, I said in growth.

Everything I'm reporting is in the Tech News, your disdain is palatable as refer to Microsoft as M$ and Windoze, yet with iOS 7 and with Google's UI updates both are following the Chromeless/Flat UI.

100,000 Apps in under 9 months is much faster growth then both iOS and Google.

Maybe you adopt a Chromebook as well that way you have one eco-system, oh wait Google has many eco-systems and fragmentation as they quickly become the next Linux...

 

I agree. At the hospital I work at I have never seen anyone with a windows phone. Heck, I've never seen one in the wild, ever (except under the glass at the kiosk at the mall). Mostly see the usual iphone and galaxy etc.. and the cheap feature phones like the one I have. I refuse to purchase a rip off data package from any of the oligopolys. The closest I came to seeing one was somebody telling me they bought one, hated it, and returned it.

 

So far, I've seen two Windows Phones in my neck of the woods, my 8X and the cousin of a friend who also happens to have a 8X. I wanted a Lumia, but my carrier doesn't offer it. I really like WP8 by the way, but I'm not a heavy app user, the ones I wanted are available. I prefer the UI to Android or iOS.

WP8 may have some nice growth numbers, but their market share remains mostly negligible.

 

Actually for Phone and tablets the majority of the market referred to is Android not Chromebook. Either of which is loosely built and/or shelled from Linux so what is then point there?

Actually growth is fast when you are coming from such a lowly place in the market. Math is a funny thing, all according to your perspective doom and gloom can look like a rosy long term future. The same too can be said of the reverse. This is why you need to look over the numbers over a period of time. One or two months of data is insufficient.

That is unless there is a windfall. As in the release of Windows 7, within 2 months everyone well knew it was an unrivaled success. Windows 8 has had quite a bit of time to build data. As we quickly approach one year the present plight of the OS is even clear enough to M$ that an update is urgently needed to even keep the OEM's interested. Hopefully some of this will make it to RT and phone to generate more excitement there as well.

The problem is they have the horse (established PC OS installations) and the cart (phone, RT and tablets) but they (Ballmer) have reversed the order. Essentially trying to create their own math with every possible marketing trick available trying to make it all work out. In the end you have to realize that you can't put the cart before the horse unless you are looking to backtrack or just loose ground!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!