Microsoft Not Sitting Still with Win 8, May Intro Surface Phone

Amidst continuing mixed news about Windows 8, Microsoft may be getting ready to become more involved in its mobile destiny. New reports suggest the technology giant is readying a branded phone that will share the Surface name with its recently released tablet .

On Tuesday, Microsoft announced on its Windows blog that it had sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses in the first month of the new operating system's general availability. The figure does not distinguish between upgrades, new sales, or sales of PCs with Windows 8 pre-installed.

1.19 Percent

Microsoft also reported that the Windows App Store, which it said launched with more apps when its doors opened than any other app store at that point, has doubled the number of available apps in this first month.

Previous reports from the field and industry analysts have indicated sluggish sales. Forrester Research, for example, found that only half as many enterprises have expressed interest in Windows 8 as did for Windows 7, over the same period of time.

In addition, Web analytics firm Net Applications has said that its data through Nov. 18, three weeks from the launch, showed Windows 8 penetration at only 1.19 percent -- behind Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, the three most recent versions of Mac OS X, and even Linux. Windows 7, for instance, has 46 percent, while XP, facing the end of its supported lifecycle, still maintains 39 percent market share. Windows 7 had nearly twice 8's market share at this point in its lifespan.

But that good news comes following a steady drumbeat of less-than-good news for the new and dramatically different OS. The sudden departure of Windows chief Stephen Sinofsky, a lukewarm reception to the Windows 8-specific apps in the Windows Store, a scathingly bad review of the new tile-based interface by usability expert Jakob Nielsen, and reports of hesitation among business adopters and confusion among consumer buyers are only the top headlines.

A Surface Phone?

Windows 8 has been built around touch-based computing, which has been slow to come to laptops and desktops but has become common in mobile devices. While Windows 8 has been getting mixed reviews at best, the company's Surface tablet, either using Windows 8 or Windows RT for ARM-based tablets, has been getting a more positive reception. (continued...)

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Source: http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=85834

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