Price increases into Microsoft's helpless move

Computer store news: Perhaps due to pressure from revenue, Microsoft raised the price of Windows 8 Pro to 1988 yuan last Friday. As an important partner of Microsoft, OEMs are also silent about this. However, industry insiders pointed out that silence does not mean that there is no temper. Many manufacturers have started cooperation with Google. It is precisely a protest against Microsoft. The road to popularization of Windows 8 is still far away.

prices or to enhance revenue

reporters found that Microsoft's Chinese official website login, Win8 Pro version is priced rose as high as 705%. Then the reporter called the Microsoft China hotline, the customer service staff said, "Win8 pre-248 yuan discount has been completed, has now recovered to 1988 yuan. The Windows 7 system has been discontinued and the company is promoting Windows 8 & rdquo;.

Microsoft's latest earnings announcement appears in the last month, Windows 8 global sales reached 60 million copies, but this is done under Microsoft a substantial discount rate, did not bring Microsoft's total revenue Outstanding Contribution. According to relevant statistics, Windows 7 released that fiscal quarter, Windows business revenue increased by 76%; Windows Vista released the quarter of Windows business revenue increased by 65%; and Windows 8 released the first quarter, Windows business revenue Only increased by 24%.

Meanwhile, the market research firm IDC research report, Microsoft's cross-border for Windows 8 Surface tablet sales in the fourth quarter of last year less than 90 units, not among the top five tablet PC market. Microsoft Windows 8 will attempt to create a seamless connection to a multi-platform ecosystem, but judging from the market apparently has not yet been successful.

It is reported that 75% of Microsoft's profits come from Windows and Office, and Windows 8 is the pillar of Microsoft's overall business in the next two years. If Windows 8 can not bring enough profits, Microsoft's performance will drop sharply. Under this circumstance, Microsoft raised the price of Windows 8 to 1988 yuan, which was also pointed out by some observers as “frustration”.

OEM manufacturer & ldquo; silent resentment & rdquo;

Questions about the price of Windows 8 system, reporters interviewed Lenovo, Acer and other OEM manufacturers responsible person, asking whether this PC manufacturers are not allowed to comment on the PC's purchase pre-installation costs, or even sales.

However, some people in the industry bluntly said, "silence does not mean no temper". Microsoft's price increase may affect the growth of Windows 8 pre-installation fees, but many PC manufacturers are forced by Microsoft's monopoly position in the operating system is "dare to say". It is true that the Windows 8 system does not make PC manufacturers feel happy, but PC manufacturers have more or less grievances.

Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said in a recent earnings conference that Lenovo Windows 8 products are selling normally. However, Lenovo’s expectations for this new operating system are not particularly high. Consumers need to spend some time to accept this new thing. He believes that the most suitable product for Windows 8 is a tablet.

Compared with Lenovo's "not expecting high", HP and Acer's executives have expressed their disappointment with Windows 8. HP executive vice president Todd & middot; Buladeli claimed in an interview, sales of Microsoft's latest Windows 8 early Caozuoxitong very disappointing. And Acer's global president Weng Jianren also pointed out in public that Windows 8 still has not succeeded.

In addition to complaining, PC manufacturers have also deployed a counterattack strategy against Microsoft in overseas markets such as the United States. Acer, Samsung, and Asus have all launched computers with Google Chrome OS. In addition, HP and Lenovo have just released Chrome OS notebook products. This information was interpreted by the industry as a PC vendor's “to blame” for Microsoft, which to some extent sounded an early warning bell for Microsoft Windows.

The domestic market has little impact

 Microsoft has long dominated the domestic PC, everyone is using Windows, so its product price is expensive, which drives consumers to tend In pre-installed systems or pirated products, that is to say, the price increase of Windows 8 system has no obvious impact on the domestic market. Liu Qicheng, editor-in-chief of Communication World Network, said in an interview with reporters that “Google Chrome OS system has achieved good performance in the United States, but it is difficult to achieve a climate in the short term in the domestic market. Microsoft’s monopoly position is difficult to break, Microsoft’s biggest competition The opponent is it's own.

Some experts also said that today, with the popularity of tablets and smartphones, the global PC ecosystem has undergone tremendous changes, and Windows computers are no longer the only choice for consumers. Microsoft, which lacks mobile Internet DNA and is the backbone of Windows sales, will face severe challenges. High product prices are already unsuitable for the consumer market. It should change the way of product marketing.

In the past year, global PC shipments have fallen for the first time in 11 years. From the statistical analysis of third-party research institutions, Windows 8 systems have not boosted the increasingly sluggish PC market. Help. At the same time, notebooks and tablets are also evolving toward convergence. That is to say, users will not have clear conceptual boundaries for tablets and laptops in the near future, but it is worth noting that they have absolute right to speak in the tablet market. Apple's iOS and Google Android platforms will surely grab the market share of Microsoft Windows on the PC side.

Business reporter Lu Zhongfang

Market observation

The domestic market Windows 8 era has not arrived

In the past few days, reporters have visited Shundian and Bainaohui , Zhongguancun Dinghao and other electronic stores, found that consumers are not hot on the Windows 8 computer market, Windows 7 is still the mainstream.

The reporter randomly interviewed several consumers of different ages and occupations in Zhongguancun Dinghao Electronics Store. Several of them are confused about the Windows 8 system. “Fancy interface may be more suitable for & lsquo;90 after & rsquo;, not accustomed to the operation of Winodows 8, the purchase of computers or Windows 7 computer rdquo;. In response to the reporter's message about the end of the discounted price of the Windows 8 system, a woman named Liu said: "I don't care, I won't pay attention, I usually buy a brand machine that is directly pre-installed. ”

In the Bai Naihui flagship store outside Chaoyangmen, a Dell computer dealer revealed to reporters: “For ordinary households and offices, Windows 7 computers are more practical and more consistent. The current user's habits. Although the Windows 8 system adds a lot of new features, such as the most important Metro interface, it is more suitable for touch-enabled tablets or tablet all-in-ones. & rdquo; And a staff member of Shunli Sanlitun shop also frankly, "At present, although the store requires the main push Windows 8 computer, but customers still buy more Windows 7 notebooks."

Windows 8 has been on the market for more than three months, and the market has not digested it very well. Consumers’ impression of Windows 8 may only stay in its dazzling Metro interface. With the addition and use of specific new features, the concept of consumers is still vague, which makes consumers' discounts on the usability of Windows 8 greatly reduced. Therefore, in the current domestic market, Windows 8 still has a long way to go.