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Windows 10 lags 7, 8 … and even Vista in the channel race

Research firm notes ‘considerable’ increase between October and November

Windows 10 is not proving as popular as Microsoft’s earlier clients – even the hated ones – among the channel.

The number of PCs pre-installed with Windows 10 moving through western Europe’s distribution channel in the four months since launch is lower than for Windows 7, and the hated Windows Vista and Windows 8 over the same post-launch period, according to market research firm Context.

On the plus side, Context noted a “considerable” increase between October and November.

Windows 10 was pre-installed on 67 per cent of home, and 25 per cent of business machines, in the first-two weeks of November. That compares with 43 per cent of home, and 17 per cent of business, for the month before.

PC makers driving growth were Hewlett Packard, Lenovo, ASUS and Acer, with most of the machines sold being notebooks, some 93 per cent.

Of these notebooks, 14 per cent employed detachable or convertible screens.

But while Windows 10 is growing, its uptake among PC makers is behind the curve, historically speaking.

Windows 7 was resident on 86 per cent of machines during the same four-month period after its 2009 release with Windows Vista and Windows 8 on 88 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively.

Context doesn’t explain the differences, but reasons might include the fact PC makers and channel partners were heavily bought into earlier clients.

Experience, underwhelming demand for machines, and politics with Redmond as the firm has introduced its own Surface laptop, will have dampened enthusiasm. ®

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