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Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers

By | February 21, 2011, 10:44am PST

Given the very few (and occasionally confusing) leaks around Windows 8, an update as to how things are progressing is always welcome.

In early 2011, a source of mine passed on to me what he claimed was a snapshot of the internal Windows 8 roadmap. On that roadmap snippet are a lot of alleged internal dates for Windows 8 Milestone 2, the second of what are expected to be three major internal builds of Windows 8. I showed off this roadmap during a ZDNet Webcast I did recently on Windows 8 and slates (which is available for listening as a free, on-demand file).

Here is the Windows 8 roadmap slide I showed off, for those who missed it:

(click on image above to enlarge)

What’s interesting to me is how closely this roadmap snippet seems to be mirroring the timelines and build information from a few sites and sources claiming access to leaked Win 8 builds. On February 21, there were reports that Microsoft was just about done with Win 8 Milestone 2. On the roadmap above, final M2 build candidate is slated to arrive on February 23. And according to the roadmap above, the coding for Milestone 3 (M3) is due to start a week from today, on February 28.

Milestone 2, according to the roadmap, took the Windows client team five months. If M3 takes another five months — which it might if it has to go through all the same coding/integration/fixing/lockdown steps as M2 did — that would put its completion date around the end of July. Factor in a month or so for any kind of private Community Technology Preview (CTP) testing, and a beta around the time of this year’s Professional Developers Conference — which I’m still hearing is slated for September 2011 — looks downright doable.

The Windows client team, as you might expect, isn’t commenting on any timetables, build numbers, roadmaps or anything else pertaining to Windows 8 or Windows Next. (I tried using the Microsoft-favored “Win Next” just to see if I could muster a comment. No go.)

Microsoft execs also are not commenting on an alleged Dell roadmap leak from last week, which made it appear as if Dell will have a Windows 8 tablet ready in time for January 2012. While I wondered aloud last week (as did at least one Wall Street analyst) whether that meant Microsoft might be further along with Win 8 for systems-on-a-chip (SoC) processors than many of us previously believed, I’ve heard since that probably isn’t the case. That would mean the Dell “Peju” Win 8 tablet could be nothing but a demo machine for select developers … and maybe a debut at a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) keynote (?)…

In any case, if Microsoft does follow history and deliver a Win 8 Beta 1, Beta 2 and Release Candidate before RTMing, Windows 8 is looking like a mid-2012 RTM. The Windows 8 train seems to be running on time — just like the Win 7 one did.

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Topics

Roadmap, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).

Disclosure

Mary-Jo Foley

Freelance journalist/blogger Mary Jo Foley has nothing to disclose. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). I do not own Microsoft stock or stock in any of its partners or competitors. I have no business ventures that are sponsored by/funded by Microsoft or any of its partners or competitors.

Biography

Mary-Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 25 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She has kept close tabs on Microsoft strategy, products and technologies for the past 10 years. In the late 1990s, she penned the award-winning "At The Evil Empire" column for ZDNet, and more recently the Microsoft Watch blog for Ziff Davis.

Got a tip? Send her an email with your rants, rumors, tips and tattles. Confidentiality guaranteed.

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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
dsfwrryd25-24353595128046844980821757068591 10th Nov
sahkto,good post!
View in thread
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Why would Dell have a demo unit ...
P. Douglas Updated - 21st Feb 2011
... on a chart of final products? Also Win 7 tablets look as if they will be too expensive for consumers, leaving MS without an answer to iOS and Android tablets for over a year. Win 8 tablets (or a MS tablet solution for consumers) need to be out ASAP. If MS demos Win 8 slates this year, and has Win 8 slates released early next year, it has a chance of staving off a tablet assault from its competition. Otherwise MS' Windows business is going to get hammered by Android et al.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
oolong2 21st Feb 2011
@P. Douglas

It's not that Microsoft needs an anser to Android and iOS. It's that Android and iOS do not have an answer to the PC.

Most people have a PC + iPad. They don't have an iPad instead of a PC. As soon as PCs can do what iOS and Android tablets can do as far as experience. Then there is no contest...

You can easily justify the cost of something you *need* as opposed to a "gadget". That's why game consoles have to cost under $300 to remain competitive while PCs can go for 1k, 2k,3k.

If Apple put Mac OS on an iPad then we would be having a different conversation.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Synthmeister 22nd Feb 2011
@oolong2
Yes, but the iPad will replace that second and third PC in many, many households and businesses.
1. They'll keep the primary desktop PC but instead of buying laptops or another desktop, they will just buy an iPad or Android slate.
2. Businesses are using iPads in all kinds of creative ways that would never work with PCs or be very cumbersome with PCs--in-flight entertainment systems, auto entertainment systems, POS systems (iPod touch touch), home security control, home theater control, etc. Car dealerships are using them for sales or even user manuals, pro audio companies are figuring out all kinds of control, and diagnostic solutions with iPads. Hospitals are replacing the bulky, battery-sucking touch-screen PCs with iPads. Colleges are putting entire curriculums and books on iPads along with podcasts of the lectures.

And apparently a $500 slate was competitive enough to sell 15 million units the first nine months. And btw, Apple does have an answer to the PC, it is called the Mac, which has been outgrowing the PC market for several quarters and more importantly, taking the most profitable segment of the PC market.

Now the iPad is taking the sub-$1000 part of the PC market.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
oolong2 22nd Feb 2011
@Synthmeister

Sorry... All things being equal (touch interface, form factor, etc.) when it comes to the buisinesses, there is no competition between a tablet running full Windows and a tablet running a mobile OS.

We're not talking consumers playing games and fart apps, we're talking businesses that have no problems dropping extra $$$ to get the security, networking, interoperability, enterprise management and compete integration of MS Office (which the entire business world runs on).

I hate to break it to people, but the entire world still runs on PCs and Laptops (15 million compared to nearly a couple billion) . If you can get all the awesomness of a multi-touch slate as well as have access to *everything* you can do on a PC/Laptop most people (not all of course) will choose that over a mobile OS any day.

Not to mention the many different form factors it will come in simply because you can install it whereever you want. Think entire multi-touch tables in conference rooms. Multi-touch projections on walls and windows. Multi-touch monitors, kiosks in retail. Stylis input for students, artists, and graphics designers (There has never been adquate support for this in the iOS/Android world).

There's a much bigger picture here than just "cool gadget of the week"...
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
jhand47201 22nd Feb 2011
@oolong2

I just dropped over $6500 for a custom built high end gaming oriented PC. Intel i7 980X 3.33 GHz CPU liquid cooled, 24 GB RAM, 2 GeForce GTX Fermi 580s w/1536 MB, 1250 watt power supply, eVGA SLI3 MB, Blu Ray and standard DVD units, 160 MB primary SSD, 1.5 TB secondary and a host of other things.

And Windows 7 finally.
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All things being equal?
Snooki_smoosh_smoosh 22nd Feb 2011
@oolong2... All things are not equal. How many Windows Slates with Multi-touch, long battery life >8hrs, do you see, with a simple to use interface, and an on-board app store, and weighs less than 2lbs?? Oh that's right it is coming in 2012, right along with the end of the Mayan Calendar. It has taken MSFT 4yrs to come up with something to challenge the iPhone/Android.

I have worked with netbooks running Atom processors and Windows on them, if that is what MSFT views as an answer, well I can tell you I would rather either have a full laptop or a Slate with iOS or Android on it, than wait the half a week it takes for this Atom device to boot Windows.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Fletchguy 22nd Feb 2011
@oolong2
Hmmm you say most people have a pc and ipad well not really. most people who have pcs dont have ipads as pc user demand more useability for thier money and the ipad simple stated just doesn't do much for $600. It really makes no sense to buy an ipad if you have a laptop or smartphone as both do 50 times as much as an ipad and cost a third the price.Now if the Ipad came with android on it and the specs were bumped up to at least a very minimal amount of needs then the ipad might be useful but in current stae the ipad is a paperweight.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
always-a-geek 22nd Feb 2011
@oolong2 - I am very anxious to get a Win7 tablet. Can't wait. But I am a geek of long standing who actually enjoyed assembly language programming back in the day. I will put up with a LOT in what I use. I don't have faith that the average consumer will be that patient. I do agree with everything you are saying about apps and usage, but I will be very surprised if Win7 tablets get much traction outside of niche markets and the Fortune 500. This will keep them in the game at least until Win8, but I think it is going to take at least that long before we see Best Buy dropping iPad shelf space for Asus and Acer Windows tablets (not so sure about Android pads, though...).
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The spanner...
lordsmiff 22nd Feb 2011
Cloud computing and VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) solutions are really taking a firm hold in the corporate world.

Connecting to a virtual desktop from an iPad gives you all the security \ interoperability \ software you need but gives the users what they want (and let's face it - they do want iPads).

The TCO on remote desktops \ iOS devices (easy restore of OS for problems) solutions means that they (and similar Android \ other tablet devices) will become the norm and fat clients the niche.

If you don't believe me, check out the Citix reciever app and then checkout how many jobs are available for people with VMware \ virtualisation \ Citrix Zen Desktop skills there are...

Thin is the new phat wink
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Ancient Wisdom...
Wolfie2K3 22nd Feb 2011
@Snooki_smoosh_smoosh
The early bird gets the worm - but the SECOND mouse gets the cheese...
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Kabcock Updated - 23rd Feb 2011
@oolong2

I bet MS had the same mind set with their Smart-phones a few years back and look at them now, struggling for relevance in the mobile market. Your thinking is out dated, people are working differently these days.

The PC continues to be a very important piece of the data landscape and many homes have 2, 3 or more of them. This is changing rapidly, you will see homes moving to less computers and more pad type devises. It is happening already, net-book sales are being cannibalized by iPads. As this pads become more powerful and proficient the PC will becomes less and less of a necessity.

My wife, who was a heavy PC user, rarely touches her Laptop since we bought an iPad. Like it or not this is the future and MS with its current approach is moving slowly to irrelevance.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
dave@... 23rd Feb 2011
@oolong2 while true, keep in mind that the average PC sold in the USA went for just under $500 in recent quarters. Tablets offering less will not sustainably sell for more.. except maybe Apple. And that's because they have sucessfully built the Apple brand as a high-end, exclusive club thing. Like buying a Mercedes.

This goes for both x86 and ARM tablets, both of which are largely overpriced today. There is no good reason from the tech view that a tablet need cost more that a similar laptop or netbook. In fact, ARM tablets cost less to make than most Netbooks. They sell high now, due to inflation I price by Apple and by cellular bundling artificial price structures. This is not sustainable for long.

Windows tabs in particular have a problem. ARM tablets all offer best in class performance, versus cellphone or PMP/PDA format devices running the same mobile OS. But PC tabs are either worst-in-class performers, or they fail on battery life. A good tablet needs a good day's worth of active use, 8-10 hours of video play, minimum, etc. And that, on a battery about half the size of that of a moderate laptop. This is a weight concern, but also another reason tablets are clearly overpriced today, same with other resources: cheaper CPU/SOC, less RAM, less mass storage, cheaper LCD, etc.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
instantasssholejustaddbeer@... 16th Apr 2011
@oolong2

How can you expect to use a device that does not even have a File explorer is beyond me.
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More ancient wisdom
WinTard 23rd Feb 2011
@Snooki_smoosh_smoosh

The early bird gets the worm -- but the patient coyote who waits can have them both.

Until the real mobile PC form factor appears, the rest of these tablets are but mere toys:

Computers with training wheels that can't be removed.

Businesses have not yet satisfactorily resolved authentication and security issues associated with iPads. Stuff like SSO (Single Sign On) via LDAP (Kerberos) Active Directory.

Until then, all current tablets iOS & Android are mere dumbed down terminals with very little serious use except for home end-users with simple basic & limited requirements.

~~~~~~~~~~
Letting your customers set your standards is a dangerous game, because the race to the bottom is pretty easy to win. Setting your own standards, and living up to them, is a better way to profit.
~ Seth Godin
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
rhonin 24th Feb 2011
@WinTard
Have to agree - coincides with the path in my business.
For most business folks, they are looking at the iPad for the same functionality they received from their Blackberry, just a bit prettier and a bit more functional.
Not a pc, just a bigger device for current BB functions.
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Beta 2s are a thing of the past...
Mr. Dee 21st Feb 2011
The past product releases and updates are examples:
- Windows 7 BETA > RC > RTM
- Windows 7 SP1 BETA > RC > RTW
- Internet Explorer 9 BETA > RC > Duh

So, I can expect the same for Windows Next. I suspect we will likely see a Pre-release preview at PDC 11, followed by a beta, but probably with a much shorter test cycle. Windows 7 Beta and RC were absolutely drawn out for no reason. It was pretty much baked at Beta and refined at RC.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
VRSpock 21st Feb 2011
@Mr. Dee
The reason was a very good one...code named Vista....Microsoft had to make sure that by the time Windows 7 reached the masses, it was very refined. Indeed, it was very much refined for the initial public release of an OS.
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Exciting stuff!
Tim Acheson 21st Feb 2011
Thanks for sharing, MJ!

When the time comes, Microsoft will dominate tablets:
http://www.timacheson.com/Blog/2011/jan/windows_will_dominate_tablets

iPad isn't good enough to replace laptops, not even close, it's a toy.

You can already have a full-power PC in tablet form, like the Asus Eee Slate.

Windows 8 will define expectations of tablet devices.

Apple brought a knife to a gun-fight.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
ConstableOdo 21st Feb 2011
@Tim Acheson
How lame. Microsoft was pushing tablets for years and guess what? Hardly anyone wanted them. Certainly not consumers. Those Windows tablets definitely weren't toys, but so what. Almost nobody used them except some IT Windows lapdogs and some card-carrying fanboi consumers. So what's all this supposed magic from Microsoft all of a sudden? You're just talking about a vaporware product at this point in time. There's no guarantee it won't be the next Microsoft Vista. By the time this Microsoft 8 hits the streets, everyone and their mother will be using iPads and won't even consider changing from a light tablet OS to some bloated dog of an OS like Windows, which will likely carry the ghosts of devices past (legacy support). If Microsoft had any sense at all, they would have expanded upon WP7 and gone with that for a tablet. A Windows tablet is the answer to a question that only a handful of Ballmer-loving fanbois asked.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Major Plonquer 21st Feb 2011
@ConstableOdo Sheesh! Talk about revisionism...

Microsoft first introduced XP Tablet Edition in 2003. That's 8 years of software development and experience they've had. As a 'tablet' user since 2003 (I need Japanese and Mandarin handwriting) I find that by FAR the two best apps for tablets are OneNote and Photoshop. Neither Apple nor Google can even do basic handwriting, let alone Chinese handwriting. Photoshop on iPad? Laughable. It can't even do Flash.

There's more to the world than the USA and there are 450 million Windows users in China alone. The world doesn't stop at the Golden Gate. Some countries in the world need more than English language and QWERT keyboard. Apple's products have bombed in Asia for precisely this reason.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Synthmeister 22nd Feb 2011
@Major Plonquer
You didn't address his remarks. Windows slates have been a complete failure regardless as to how valuable you think they are.
BTW, the iPad and iPHone both have multiple Chinese and Japanese language options and OneNote is available for iDevices.

And given that the iDevice userbase is approaching 200 million, I think we can safely say that Flash and Photoshop are quite unnecessary.
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Care to have a clue...?
Wolfie2K3 22nd Feb 2011
@ConstableOdo
There's a VERY good reason why Windows based slates have bombed in the past. PRICE. Why spend $3,000 for a touchscreen convertible laptop when you can buy one that does everything else except the touch bit for $1500? Even since the price of laptops has dropped to $499 for a decent laptop, who in their right (or left) mind would spend $1000 for something that doesn't add $500 worth of value to the deal?

But now, prices for touch screens have fallen a bit to the point where the price gap between a regular laptop and a touch screen model isn't quite that overwhelmingly huge.

By the time Win Next hits the street, the price differential will be even lower.
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Agreed: Apple Is Jumping the Shark
g-man_863 Updated - 22nd Feb 2011
If - scratch that, when - Apple's sales and stock start tanking it won't be due to Steve Jobs' health. The writing is already on the wall that Apple's market share in key areas has peaked.

First, they have become downright greedy on their downloads. Charging a 30% download royalty and attempting to shut out Google and Amazon? This shakedown is making both Microsoft and the Mafia blush.
Unless Apple backs off, I suspect the current Dept. of Justice and EEU inquiries will grow into full-blown Antitrust suits.

The iPhone has met its Waterloo against the Android OS. It isn't a question of which is better; it's a question of which is both more available and more affordable. Although Win 7 phone sales are lagging, both Win 7 and Android are available on ANY carrier at lower rates and (in some cases) with a pre-paid plan option. Given the credit score requirements for AT&T or Verizon's contract service, the iPhone is not an option for tens of millions of US customers.

Finally, the iPad: No USB connections? An OS that basically gives Apple a monopoly on selling media and content? A price equal to a Win 7 notebook PC? Cute and trendy but little true function (I honestly feel if Apple went into the plumbing business at this point and marked a toilet called iPee, there are idiots who would buy it strictly for the name and Apple logo regardless of price).

Apple is repeating its mistakes of the late '80s and early '90s: By attempting to shake down customers with overpriced products and a monopoly attempt on content, they will soon fade back to their previous state as a boutique brand with a tiny market share.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
gregzdnet 22nd Feb 2011
@g-man_863 I agree a few years back I struggled with a g3 for a couple months to set up an unsupported modem and ppp config. Finally I got online and then discovered I had no decent software available and no word processor. Decided I wanted to add double dvd burners oh wait it wont fit in the designer case and even if it did I would have had to pay for burner software that could deal with drive to drive copy and dvd burning in first place. Spent some time on line and found the BSD based software was actually more vulnerable to selective targeting started flickering flashing and then wouldn?t even go past boot screen. Finally I did a firmware update that prevented me from upgrading to G4 cpu. In a sneak attack Apple had me download firmware that destroyed my motherboards ability to be upgraded, that's right they actually sabotaged my personal property to try to force me and other Mac users to buy the next latest greatest mac. Wanted a computer for work and got a designer toy. I image Windows and have back up computers and keep filles on separate media and alternate partitions. Good to go in seconds or worst case five minutes no matter what happens. I fight monopolies full time certainly don't want to be forced to use one manufacturers software hardware, and limited in freeware and third party. Was really mad about the firmware that disabled cpu upgrade so it became a good looking garbage can stand, bring home the g3 was like bringing home a cute chimp that later rips your face off. Bit the bullet and upgraded my primary office atx to Win 7 and I have started to forget how to do many hardware, maintenance and security tasks because it's run perfect out of the box for months. I?ll never take another bite of the Apple it left a bad taste.
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not really the issue
dave@... 23rd Feb 2011
@g-man_863 Apple has dominated in markets it re-creates. For awhile. They didn't create the MP3 player, PMP, Smartphone, or Tablet computer. Curiously, they did invent the PDA, even coining the phrase, but got killed by Palm... before the iPod Touch regained the crown.

The thing is, Apple doesn't seem to care about market share. If they reinvent a market, they always start dropping share, as they did last year against Android. And don't forget, Apple once lead the personal computer market, too. But they don't even try to hold on to market share.

In fact, they win on profits, not share. A Mac today has the same stuff inside as any old PC.. its a bog standard Intal-chip PC in a fancy case. They don't even compete on performance - iMacs are all basically laptops, but sold in desktop configuration. Apple has 5% of the global PC market.. but a relatively huge chunk of the over $1000 market, and of the profits. That's because they're selling the same basic PC for 2x-3x the retail that HP or Dell get.

Same with phones... the iPhone is little different than any old Android phone; more capable than some, less than others. If it was just another Android phone, it would be interesting for a month, then largely forgotten as something even cooler is released. Apple had their best ever iPhone sales last year, and still lost share. But they made more loot than Noika, and I'm sure you could add up a few major cellphone companies and still fall short of Apple's profits.

Now it's the iPad. Last year, they had the only consumer priced tablet from a major company (as usual, Archos has been doing these a few years already), until the Samsung Tab in December. If you doubt that the iPad is overpriced, its interesting to note that Apple made nearly as much on just the iPad as they didd on the Mac. This year, its Android tablets en masse. Right now, the top companies are pricing theirs relative to the iPad... so the mivement will be sloww. This will change, prices will fall, and Apple will shrink back to a 50%, 25%, maybe even smaller share of the tablet market. And probablty still half the profits.

That's not going to change, that's why Apple is successful. As long as people drink that Kool-Aid and see Apple products as being objects of desire, Apple keeps winning. Lowring prices, they could certainly capture more of the market, but certainly less profit.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
frogspaw 23rd Feb 2011
@Tim Acheson
Wow... just Wow
Your blog defies belief and your sources to back up your assertions??? Like this guy http://theiphonefever.blogspot.com/p/idont-list.html
You should be embarrassed for a grown man.

...and '...Microsoft has won the tablet war' ????
I can't believe I read that ROTFLOL
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I predict another MS EPIC=FAIL
Ron Burgundey 21st Feb 2011
Who wants Windows anyway? The numbers don't lie - Apple will own both the Enterprise and Consumer market by 2012 at their current rate of growth!
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The numbers don't lie, you're right
Michael Alan Goff 21st Feb 2011
There are 900 million windows machines, and less than 100 million of all of the OSX and iOS devices combined.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
aditya.kmg 21st Feb 2011
@goff256
Ron was talking of the market share, not the no. of devices out in the world. And he is right regarding the market figures,for Apple is definitely the dominant player already
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Apple is dominating in what market?
Michael Alan Goff 21st Feb 2011
The tablet market? Sure.
The MP3 player market? Sure.

Any other market? Not really.

They don't dominate the smartphone market or the laptop market or the desktop market.

How is Windows 8 going to be a flop? It's a Desktop OS.

Also, how will Apple own the consumer and Enterprise market by 2012 when they only have a stranglehold on two markets?
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aditya.kmg, you are incorrect
Mister Spock 21st Feb 2011
They are the dominant "player" in terms of tablets in the enterprise, but beyond that they are very small in terms of enterprise computing devices, like desktop and server operatating systems, office and developement tools, just to name a few.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
ConstableOdo 21st Feb 2011
@goff256
Probably 80% of those Windows computers are running Windows 95 and Windows 98 and are about 10 to 15 years old. Ancient relics of a nearly forgotten past. A dying breed longing for a quick and painless death to put them out of their misery.

Just think of it. Apple is making as much money from 100 million devices as Microsoft is from 900 million devices. And Apple is about to double those 100 million devices this year. For Windows, it's na, na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye.
  • Flagged
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Major Plonquer 21st Feb 2011
@goff256
Sorry, but you're wrong. There are closer to 2 billion Windows computers. As for market share, Apple are doing well in USA but are hardly selling in Asia. Their USA marketshare is near 8%. But globally it barely breaks 2%.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
rbgaynor 21st Feb 2011
@goff256 Apple did close to 100 million iOS devices in 2010 alone, and will come close to doubling that again in 2011. It's now 900 million, but it's not insignificant.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
rbgaynor 21st Feb 2011
@Major Plonquer - actually Apple's biggest growth this year for OSX was in Asia; and the Chinese Apple Stores have the heaviest traffic of all Apple stores (which are already the most profitable of all retail brands).
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Michael Alan Goff 22nd Feb 2011
@ ConstableOdo

Actually, no. 41% or so are using XP, and around 40% are using either Windows Vista or 7. Also, double of 100,000,000 is still nowhere near 900,000,000 (or as somebody else suggested, 2 billion).

@rbgaynor

I didn't say they were insignificant, I said they weren't dominating any market.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
laserfloyd 22nd Feb 2011
@ConstableOdo

I have a limited data range but I took a snapshot out of 130,000+ hits from a website I manage. Analytics show that 94 of those visits (or 0.07%) were from a Win98 machine. None were Windows95. XP, Vista and Win7 combined for about 98.77%.

Judging from that data I'd say your claim might be a little off.

Also, Microsoft sold 300 million Win7 licenses. http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Windows-7-Sales-Licences-300-Million-Quarterly-Revenue,12096.html

Lastly feel free to read about their financials here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.
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You are right
sackbut 21st Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey Numbers don't lie. It is mathematically impossible for apple to do either by 2012 at their current rate of growth.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
apetti 21st Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey ok... what ever you say.
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Also
dave@... 23rd Feb 2011
@apetti Keep in mind that iOS devices don't accumulate in the market the way PCs do. Most iPhone users will replace their device in 2-3 years. IPods too... Apple only expects them to last one year. PCs, on the other hand, are usually in business for 5+ years, even longer in most homes (yes, many of us here upgrade more often, but techies are not typical users). Apple's already set the policy of software upgrades only going back 2-3 years, so that's clearly how they view the market. In short, selling 100M iOS devices for five years results in an installed base much closer to 200M than 500M.
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Not any time soon!
TigerRaptorFX Updated - 21st Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey

That is a very bold statement, and I hope you can back it up. But if you are in fact referring to operating systems.

Well then, don't count on it!
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
mm71 21st Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey: Are you paid to do this anti-MS trolling? As a consumer or business, why should you care who makes the best tools available to you? Use whatever suits you? Dont use MS products if you dont like them. It's just an OS, not a religion. Who wants Windows, must rank among the lamest questions, considering that over a billion people use it, not counting the pirated ones.
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Not any time soon!
TigerRaptorFX 21st Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey

That is a very bold statement, and I hope you can back it up. But if you are in fact referring to operating systems.

Well then, don't count on it!
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
ItsTheBottomLine 22nd Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey Cha-Ching made money.... Bone head one will provide Bone head commnent. Betting windows are still open.
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Huh?
Romas27 22nd Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey ... you sound like a Wall Street stock pusher. Ever look inside an Apple store? All kids. Apple markets itself towards the preteen market to create that must have syndrome. As these kids age they can't see beyond their apple product. I noticed that iPhone sales at Verizon didn't jump off the charts. Market saturated? or are people looking at alternative devices. Why should demand for the iPad grow? The loyalists have bought theres and everyone else evaluates whether there is a point to spending money on a device that they may not use often enough to justify the cost.
You may end up being correct; but you may also be way off-base.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
Fletchguy 22nd Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey
Ummm most of the world wants windows take a quick look at pcs running windows compared to computers with mac os hell even macs come with windows options. The question is who really would want an apple os?
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Put the Apple brand Kool Aid down fool..!
Wolfie2K3 22nd Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey
You're starting to sound like Linux Geek and his "infamous" prediction following Windows 7's release in October 2009. The one where he claimed Microsoft would be out of business inside of a year, Windows 7 would be a flop and everybody would be singing Kumbaya around the Linux campfire.

Didn't quite work out for him, now, did it? So I seriously don't see how it'll be working out for your prediction either.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
bmonsterman 23rd Feb 2011
@Ron Burgundey,

As compelling as the success Apple has had the consumer market, Apple would have a difficult time penetrating the Enterprise market in the same way:

1. Apple's desktop and laptop offering feature an integrated hardware and OS. Many business put up with OS lock-in from Microsoft...but hardware and OS lock-in? Given the premium that Apple's laptops and desktops demand...I don't see it.
2. Apple's current business productivity offering begins and ends with iWork. There is a lot of work that would need to be done there.
3. Apple doesn't have a competitive server platform.
4. I don't think Apple really wants to compete in the enterprise market, beyond a few niches. Nothing would taint their edgy/artsy market image like a suit.
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Just...
james347 21st Feb 2011
...another Windows Vista Service Pack. So pay up suckers!
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Do you understand what a Service Pack actually is?
Michael Alan Goff 21st Feb 2011
Because it seems you don't.
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RE: Windows 8 roadmap: A picture is worth a thousand build numbers
dsfwrryd25-24353595128046844980821757068591 10th Nov
sahkto,good post!

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