Vista creates twice the wealth in US as in Europe

Bigger help desks, good news all round

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in IT Director, 11th December 2006 15:45 GMT

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The launch of Microsoft's Vista will create 100,000 jobs in the US, the same as that claimed for Europe, but will bring in almost twice as much cash - some $70bn.

Figures, from IDC, but funnily enough commissioned by Microsoft, were released in Europe back in September which showed European regulators they would cost the region $40bn and 100,000 jobs if they stopped the software shipping. Microsoft has long claimed that its products create an "ecosystem" of related businesses which benefit everyone.

But in the US Vista will be even better creating 100,000 new jobs and bringing in $70bn to Microsoft and its partners.

IDC, in more Microsoft-commissioned research, predicts there will be 35 million PCs running Vista in the US by the end of 2007 and 90 million worldwide. The White Paper states: "In the US, Windows Vista-related employment will reach 18 per cent of IT employment in its first year of shipment." This equates to 1.8 million jobs in the first year.

In 2008 IDC reckons Vista's impact will be even stronger when 80 per cent of operating systems sent to enterprises will be Vista.

More on Microsoft's magical research (Pdf.) here.®

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