Dive Brief:
- Microsoft announced it will not meet its goal of getting Windows 10 on 1 billion devices within two to three years of the operating system’s release, according to a statement.
- The company blamed the remarkable drop in its Windows phone business for the miss.
- Though Microsoft’s goal of 1 billion Windows 10 devices is still a long way off, the operating system is already the most rapidly adopted version of Windows ever.
Dive Insight:
"Due to the focusing of our phone hardware business, it will take longer than FY18 for us to reach our goal of 1 billion monthly active devices," said Yusuf Mehdi, Windows marketing chief, in a statement.
A growing mobile market may also be at least partially to blame. As more people pass on traditional PCs in favor of mobile devices, there is less demand for the Windows desktop OS.
Microsoft has been pushing hard to get people to upgrade to the new OS. Last month, the company said it received complaints that its tactics are too aggressive, such as pushing upgrades on customers without their permission, and that it would curtail some those efforts.
The upcoming end of the free Windows 10 upgrade program may make it harder for Microsoft to reach its user goals. Starting July 29, upgrading from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 will cost consumers $119. Businesses will also have the option to pay for Windows "as a service" with a monthly subscription fee per user for an enterprise tier of the OS.
Microsoft may not be overly concerned about its Windows 10 goal. The company has been catching the attention of enterprise customers as it makes a concerted effort to improve its enterprise offerings.
