Microsoft and PC OEMs obviously have high hopes for Windows 8, with both waiting to see if the hyped launch will help spur computer sales and increase shipments of the new operating system around the world.
A survey of 1200 adults in the United States was recently conducted by The Associated Press and GfK. The survey determined that 52% of those polled hadn’t even heard Windows 8. Even more concerning for Microsoft? Among the 48% of those surveyed who were actually familiar with Windows 8, 61% had little or no interest in buying a new laptop or desktop computer running the OS.
The poll also found that of the 48% who were aware of Windows 8; only 35% believed the operating system offered an improvement over Windows 7, with a number of respondents claiming they haven’t found anything compelling enough to warrant an upgrade.
Case in point? Chris Dionne, who said that he had used Windows 8 – and was not persuaded by the new operating system to upgrade his existing Windows 7 machine.
“I am not real thrilled they are changing things around,” he said. “Windows 7 does everything I want it to. Where is the return on my investment to learn a new OS (operating system)?”
Interestingly, the survey also asked the 1200 American adults about Microsoft’s Surface tablet, with 69% saying they had little or no interest in buying the device which is clearly targeted at Apple’s wildly popular iPad.
As previously discussed on TG, Microsoft says Windows 8 represents the most radical redesign of its flagship operating system since 1995.
