The current lack of fanfare around Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system is to prevent consumers from putting off buying PCs over the holiday period, according to a Gartner analyst.Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 at the end of September, highlighting advancements designed for business.
It is expected to ship later in 2015, however a release date has yet to be confirmed.
“Microsoft can’t make a big bang and talk about a new version of Windows in September with the holidays coming and consumers deciding that ‘if Windows 10 is coming, I’m just going to wait and not buy a PC’,” Gartner analyst Michael Silver was reported as stating by Computerworld.
“That’s why last week’s announcement was pretty quiet and enterprise focused.”
Unveiling Windows 10, Microsoft highlighted the enterprise-grade security, identity and information protection features for businesses, with one area of advancement its work carried out with user identities to improve resistance to breach, theft or phishing.
“This will be our most comprehensive operating system and the best release Microsoft has ever done for our business customers, and we look forward to working together with our broader Windows community to bring Windows 10 to life in the months ahead,” Terry Myerson, Microsoft executive vice president of the operating systems group commented of the system.
In a blog post, Myerson noted there will be greater discussion of consumer features in early 2015.
“This week’s announcements are just the first chapter of our conversation with customers about Windows 10, with a focus on enterprise features (because enterprises have a need to evaluate software early on) and the desktop/laptop experiences,” Myerson commented.
“Early in 2015, we’ll introduce the consumer chapter and talk much more about other device types and more consumer features.
“We’ll then continue the conversation with the developer chapter at our Build conference, and later in the year we’ll release Windows 10 and look forward to some amazing new devices.”
With PC sales having suffered in recent years, recent data indicates the decline may now be levelling out.
Worldwide PC shipments declined 0.5 per cent year-on-year in the 2014 third quarter, according to technology research firm Gartner.
Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner, noted results in Western Europe and North America “can be a sign of gradual recovery”.
