Microsoft's Build Conference for developers is currently underway in Redmond, Washington, and at his keynote address yesterday, CEO Steve Ballmer gave an enthusiastic report on Windows 8's early reception.
According to Ballmer, via
Techspot, already 4 million Windows 8 upgrades have been sold since last Thursday's formal launch of the new operating system. He added that by next year, an expected 400 million new devices will run on Windows 8. The optimism reflects the company's belief that Windows 8 is a far superior value for consumers and businesses worldwide than its predecessor, Windows 7, which has sold around 700 million copies since its release in 2009.
The challenge ahead, addressed at the Build Conference, will be attracting software developers to create new applications to help Windows 8 compete with the likes of Apple and Google, whose app catalogs and ecosystems remain much more extensive at this point. Microsoft views Windows 8 as a huge opportunity for developers who can take advantage of the software's many purposes, with more to offer for the consumer and entertainment markets this time around.
With the
release of Windows Phone 8 and its inclusion of
Office software, the whole of the Windows 8 launch is designed to take advantage of Microsoft's Skydrive cloud surface as the company revamps its ecosystem and offerings.