Dive Brief:
- Gartner says half of all enterprises will have at least started their Windows 10 rollouts by January 2017.
- Normally slow to update software, Gartner analyst says enterprises are moving faster this time partly because Microsoft has declared Windows 7's end of life is in 2020.
- Transitioning to Windows 10 is also believed to be easier than making the switch from Windows XP to Windows 7.
Dive Insight:
Gartner predicts Windows 10's uptake in the enterprise will outpace the adoption for both Windows 7 and Windows 8. Though enterprises are known for taking their time with software updates, Gartner analyst Steve Kleynhans says they're moving faster with Windows 10.
"I've stopped being surprised when I talk to customers now and they tell me how fast they're moving," Kleynhans said. "Six months ago, I was completely shocked when I talked to customers and they'd tell me they're planning on getting started right away, and now it's just the norm for our customers."
That’s not to say the transition is completely painless. Kleynhans said businesses still have to develop a strategy for dealing with the ongoing updates Microsoft is pushing to its new operating system.
