Microsoft says it's sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses

Microsoft has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses since October 26.
Tami Reller, chief marketing and financial officer for Windows, announced the tally today during her appearance at the Credit Suisse Annual Tech Conference.
Microsoft had not released any sales figures for Windows 8 other than saying the company sold 4 million upgrade licenses of the operating system to those with previous versions of Windows during the first three days it was available. Microsoft launched Windows 8 commercially on October 26.


Microsoft says it's sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses so far | Microsoft - CNET News
 
She did reiterate that Microsoft will have the Surface Pro, the version of the Surface running Windows 8 Pro, available in January 2013

another part I thought would share as people been wanting news on surface pro
 

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The surface Pro will be a killer application and show what W8 is actually for... doing x86 work on a tablet and no other device can do that. Even people like me who likely won't use W8 on a PC will like W8 on the tablet. No tablet can be used for actual work (and no, sitting at Starbucks updating facebook isn't work). With the surface Pro a tablet can be used for actual work either via remoting into your home PC, or installed on the tablet. I kind of wondered what the point of Surface RT is if it only can run the RT apps (which are fewer than android and iPad).

I don't see myself using W8 on a PC. But for replacing my 7 year old laptop, the surface Pro is very interesting unless it is cost-prohibitive. This may make me used to W8 (or W9 later)

Edit: I'm really surprised W8 sold faster than W7. Wonder how many are the $40 deal? Considering how much everyone was craving W7 (no wonder after Vista, and an outdated XP) and how polarizing W8 is I'm really surprised.
 

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I wouldn't read too much into those figures.

They may have shifted 40m - but many will be to retailers and manufacturers, they haven't been sold to the consumer yet.

I understand that there are now 15m win8 installations. That is a very different figure.

Given how cheap it is - $14.99 to $40 , I am not sure that is very encouraging, especially after a massive launch campaign.

One of the difficulties for MS will be selling the Pro - after launching RT. If the consumers don't go for RT much - that make it hard for MS to later launch a second product, which appears so similar.

They will have lost the impetus.
 

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One of the difficulties for MS will be selling the Pro - after launching RT. If the consumers don't go for RT much - that make it hard for MS to later launch a second product, which appears so similar.

They will have lost the impetus.

I disagree... while I don't know why they even bothered with the RT or didn't launch them simultaneously, the RT will be a relatively poor seller sine it has to compete with well established android/iPad (and hardware is nothing without software). but the surface Pro is unique - no competition. If you want to use x86 software on a tablet, you only have one option - Microsoft. and x86 software rules the world (the real world outside Starbucks)
 

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Pro might have an appeal - it might do ok.

However, from a marketing point of view it would have been better not to have released it after RT.

Seems to me they couldn't wait another year and rushed it. You can see it isn't ready - if you have installed it on your own machine.

I see why they did it - but it can't be helping.
 

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If you want to use x86 software on a tablet

I don't know how many people will want that. I don't know any.

Mind you, I don't work in a normal office environment - neither does anybody else I know.

Perhaps there are several hundred million people desperate to run MS Office on a tablet. We shall find out.
 

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I wouldn't read too much into those figures.
For some odd reason, I would figure this phrase would be used for bad news...
 

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Hooray! More Eight Forums users! :D :dinesh: :party:

It seems more people are looking into Windows 8, as the holiday season is approaching and people are hearing about it. It'll do exceptionally well for laptop PCs, especially ones with larger touchpads. For desktops, that's a debatable one. There are neat features that 7 doesn't have. Yes, there is a very different half to Windows 8, but this time one doesn't actually need to do any upgrading of internal hardware to take good advantage of Windows 8. A new touch gesture enabled mouse or pad is probably what needs to be upgraded.

As for the Surface Pro, this thing is LITERALLY the climax of what is great about a PC and what is great about a tablet, in one bloody well built package with a kickstand and a touch or type cover keyboard. And when deployed, you can stare someone down and say, "I'm not effing around."
 

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I'm not going to lie, but part of the reason why I'm watching TV nowadays is to watch either a Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, or a Surface commercial....

Microsoft is many things, being good at marketing is one they're impotent at. It seems they're turning this one around, and doing a REAL good job at it too! Very well done!
 

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Hi there

Even my Ipad using collegues who consider using ANY product unless it's made by "The Fruit Company" beneath them just wish that they could run OFFICE on these.

The Surface PRO should be a real Winner for Ms IF and ONLY IF (Sounds like a Maths theorem !) the price is right.
Too high I'll pay a smdigen more for a nice Ultrabook.

While I'm not sold on W8 as a desktop OS -- on a tablet (or even a Phone) it's just right.

In some ways if Ms were willing to take a gamble and decide the future is in selling apps then they could actually SUBSIDIZE the tablet and re-coup the cash on applications.

However this type of business model is unusual for Ms so they might not want to risk it.

Amazon are taking this type of approach with their Kindles - they've found once people like e-books they buy lots of them so the latest Kindles (and Nooks --company adopting same tactic) are BETTER and CHEAPER than previous models.


Cheers
jimbo
 

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Hi there

Even my Ipad using collegues who consider using ANY product unless it's made by "The Fruit Company" beneath them just wish that they could run OFFICE on these.

The Surface PRO should be a real Winner for Ms IF and ONLY IF (Sounds like a Maths theorem !) the price is right.
Too high I'll pay a smdigen more for a nice Ultrabook.

I think you're absolutely right on target. Office inclusion is the key here. That's why I think they included it in Surface RT. The Pro will have to come in at the right price. I think it will come in at a reasonable introductory price at first and rise as time goes on with demand, but not to high to equal the price of an ultrabook, as you say.

Also, I think one of the reasons why MS didn't introduce RT and Pro simultaneously is to create the infamous "anticipation fever" that the "The Fruit Company" seems to create. "Get ready -> It's coming soon!" A good advertising technique.
 

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