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Microsoft Doesn't Get It: We Don't Need Windows 10!
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My Internet Service Provider saved me. Because when Win 10 came knocking at my door, my connection slowed down so much that I stopped closing the upgrade window to actually take a look at what was written in it. And that was only after restarting my PC repeatedly didn’t seem to be doing the trick, any more.
And so it was that I discovered that Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) was treating me to a Windows 10 upgrade without ever asking my permission. It was sending me a message that the upgrade would start in a few minutes, so I better accept or reschedule (cancel was not an option). So I decided to hit reschedule every time I see the window, an irritating but easy way to stop the upgrade.
A Microsoft spokesperson has reportedly said, “With the free Windows 10 upgrade offer ending on July 29th, we want to help people upgrade to the best version of Windows. As we shared in October, Windows 10 will be offered as a ‘Recommended’ update for Windows 7 & 8.1 customers whose Windows Update settings are configured to accept ‘Recommended’ updates. Customers can choose to accept or decline the Windows 10 upgrade.”
What the spokesperson is not saying is, unless you automatically accept Windows 10 as a recommended update, it will assume you are accepting it every time you close the upgrade window. So while earlier the default option was refusal, it is now acceptance.
Why Is Microsoft Doing This?
Every software company offering a major platform faces the challenge of moving existing customers to the next version. These upgrades may be smooth the way Apple (AAPL - Free Report) does it, or practically non-existent the way Alphabet’s (GOOGL - Free Report) Android partners do it. But upgrades are a must because many of the best features on devices including their security are dependent on these upgrades. This in turn is a better experience for users.
In Microsoft’s case, there are a few other factors in play. Microsoft is the incumbent OS provider on desktops with a very small presence in mobile devices through its Surface tablets. It recently sold substantially all of its ailing mobile phone business.
Consumers increasingly buy mobile devices (phones, laptops, 2-in-1s, etc) rather than desktops and notebooks, which means that a big chunk of Microsoft’s business is going to mobile segment leaders Apple and Google. To make matters worse, these companies are making inroads into its prized enterprise segment where bring-your-own-device (BYOD) is gaining acceptance.
If Microsoft can move the majority of its existing Windows consumer users to Windows 10, this will protect its Windows turf and at the same time allow it to offer smoother upgrades in future, in Apple style. And then, there would be desktops, tablets, possibly phones, game consoles and what have you, talking to each other, with Office serving your productivity needs, Bing scouring the net for you and chat bots thrown in, fetching you all the stuff you need. In short, a very pretty Microsoft walled garden, backed up by its powerful cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft has an edge on the enterprise side, since it’s the clear leader in productivity solutions with its Office 365 and Azure. Office 365 continues to add features (chatting for instance was a recent addition to boost collaboration). While Google infrastructure is growing, it still lags Microsoft in productivity and collaboration. Apple is taking a different approach with its International Business Machines (IBM - Free Report) collaboration. Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) is of course infrastructure leader, but it isn’t high on productivity.
Office then allows Microsoft to consolidate its user base on the enterprise side while Windows does the job on the consumer side. Office also offers an opportunity to wean users away from competing platforms since it’s available on iOS and Android as well. Of course, there will be a few people (and enterprises) that move away from Microsoft. But overall, this is a solid strategy to take Microsoft to the next growth phase in a cloud-first mobile-first world.
Why Are We Complaining Then?
There are a number of reasons why consumers are getting pissed off.
The first and primary reason is that in its eagerness to get consumers to Windows 10, Microsoft has decided to do away with permissions. Does a software maker have the right to force you into an upgrade? Once you buy a device and license software, doesn’t it belong to you, for you to decide for better or worse, whether you want to change/update it or not?
Second, Windows is licensed by a large number of hardware makers, so there are technical issues to take care of. Samsung support staff in UK has reportedly said, "Honestly speaking, we don't suggest installation of Windows 10 to any Samsung laptop or PC and we are still coordinating with Microsoft regarding to this matter. The Drivers that we have on our website are not yet compatible to the latest version of Windows."
Microsoft’s response was not much better: “Microsoft and Samsung are committed to Windows 10, and are working closely together to provide the best possible Windows 10 upgrade experience“.
Some consumers using non-Samsung devices are however happy with the upgrade.
Summing Up
What all this boils down to is, Microsoft has rushed into Windows upgrades even while some details are yet to be worked out. Therefore, while it has a good product on offer, the upgrade process is less than desirable. At the same time, the matter will likely be ironed out by year-end because Microsoft will not let small things affect enterprise adoption. In the meantime, if you value uninterrupted, reliable performance, it might be better to wait a bit and pay for an upgrade. Or, if you have a PC that’s at least two years old, get the upgrade when you get your next PC.
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Microsoft Doesn't Get It: We Don't Need Windows 10!
My Internet Service Provider saved me. Because when Win 10 came knocking at my door, my connection slowed down so much that I stopped closing the upgrade window to actually take a look at what was written in it. And that was only after restarting my PC repeatedly didn’t seem to be doing the trick, any more.
And so it was that I discovered that Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report) was treating me to a Windows 10 upgrade without ever asking my permission. It was sending me a message that the upgrade would start in a few minutes, so I better accept or reschedule (cancel was not an option). So I decided to hit reschedule every time I see the window, an irritating but easy way to stop the upgrade.
A Microsoft spokesperson has reportedly said, “With the free Windows 10 upgrade offer ending on July 29th, we want to help people upgrade to the best version of Windows. As we shared in October, Windows 10 will be offered as a ‘Recommended’ update for Windows 7 & 8.1 customers whose Windows Update settings are configured to accept ‘Recommended’ updates. Customers can choose to accept or decline the Windows 10 upgrade.”
What the spokesperson is not saying is, unless you automatically accept Windows 10 as a recommended update, it will assume you are accepting it every time you close the upgrade window. So while earlier the default option was refusal, it is now acceptance.
Why Is Microsoft Doing This?
Every software company offering a major platform faces the challenge of moving existing customers to the next version. These upgrades may be smooth the way Apple (AAPL - Free Report) does it, or practically non-existent the way Alphabet’s (GOOGL - Free Report) Android partners do it. But upgrades are a must because many of the best features on devices including their security are dependent on these upgrades. This in turn is a better experience for users.
In Microsoft’s case, there are a few other factors in play. Microsoft is the incumbent OS provider on desktops with a very small presence in mobile devices through its Surface tablets. It recently sold substantially all of its ailing mobile phone business.
Consumers increasingly buy mobile devices (phones, laptops, 2-in-1s, etc) rather than desktops and notebooks, which means that a big chunk of Microsoft’s business is going to mobile segment leaders Apple and Google. To make matters worse, these companies are making inroads into its prized enterprise segment where bring-your-own-device (BYOD) is gaining acceptance.
If Microsoft can move the majority of its existing Windows consumer users to Windows 10, this will protect its Windows turf and at the same time allow it to offer smoother upgrades in future, in Apple style. And then, there would be desktops, tablets, possibly phones, game consoles and what have you, talking to each other, with Office serving your productivity needs, Bing scouring the net for you and chat bots thrown in, fetching you all the stuff you need. In short, a very pretty Microsoft walled garden, backed up by its powerful cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft has an edge on the enterprise side, since it’s the clear leader in productivity solutions with its Office 365 and Azure. Office 365 continues to add features (chatting for instance was a recent addition to boost collaboration). While Google infrastructure is growing, it still lags Microsoft in productivity and collaboration. Apple is taking a different approach with its International Business Machines (IBM - Free Report) collaboration. Amazon (AMZN - Free Report) is of course infrastructure leader, but it isn’t high on productivity.
Office then allows Microsoft to consolidate its user base on the enterprise side while Windows does the job on the consumer side. Office also offers an opportunity to wean users away from competing platforms since it’s available on iOS and Android as well. Of course, there will be a few people (and enterprises) that move away from Microsoft. But overall, this is a solid strategy to take Microsoft to the next growth phase in a cloud-first mobile-first world.
Why Are We Complaining Then?
There are a number of reasons why consumers are getting pissed off.
The first and primary reason is that in its eagerness to get consumers to Windows 10, Microsoft has decided to do away with permissions. Does a software maker have the right to force you into an upgrade? Once you buy a device and license software, doesn’t it belong to you, for you to decide for better or worse, whether you want to change/update it or not?
Second, Windows is licensed by a large number of hardware makers, so there are technical issues to take care of. Samsung support staff in UK has reportedly said, "Honestly speaking, we don't suggest installation of Windows 10 to any Samsung laptop or PC and we are still coordinating with Microsoft regarding to this matter. The Drivers that we have on our website are not yet compatible to the latest version of Windows."
Microsoft’s response was not much better: “Microsoft and Samsung are committed to Windows 10, and are working closely together to provide the best possible Windows 10 upgrade experience“.
Some consumers using non-Samsung devices are however happy with the upgrade.
Summing Up
What all this boils down to is, Microsoft has rushed into Windows upgrades even while some details are yet to be worked out. Therefore, while it has a good product on offer, the upgrade process is less than desirable. At the same time, the matter will likely be ironed out by year-end because Microsoft will not let small things affect enterprise adoption. In the meantime, if you value uninterrupted, reliable performance, it might be better to wait a bit and pay for an upgrade. Or, if you have a PC that’s at least two years old, get the upgrade when you get your next PC.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >>