Windows 8 = New Coke

Depending on who you ask, it was one of the greatest marketing blunders in history (as most would say) or an unlikely stroke of corporate genius (as a diehard few still maintain).  Either way, April 23, 1985, stands as one of the most significant dates in business history — the date the 99-year-old Coca-Cola Company announced it was scrapping its original soda formula for a newer, sweeter version. In it's decision, the company severely underestimated the nation's sentimental attachment to the iconic American brand. The reviled replacement drink stuck around and was later rebranded "Coke II" before eventually fading away.

However, there is a new sheriff in town.  Microsoft may unseat Coca-Cola in performing the biggest blunder in history with it's introduction  of Windows 8, the tablet OS for PCs.

So How Bad Is It?

So really, how bad are Windows 8 sales? In April 2013's Net Applications numbers, Windows 8 barely crept up to 3.82-percent. That still leaves Windows 8 behind Microsoft's last operating system flop, Vista, after seven months in the market. Windows on tablets fared even worse with touch-screen-based Windows 8 devices and Windows RT devices coming in at 0.02-percent and 0.00-percent each. The last was not a typo. The Surface RT is now in the running for worst Microsoft launch ever.  Well, yes, that’s bad.

So is there a connection.  Will Coca-Cola be unseated as the reigning champ of corporate blunders?

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Windows 8 was meant to be the savior of an ailing PC market and allow Microsoft to establish itself at the forefront of mobile computing, squaring up to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android tablets.

It was billed as the first version of Windows to work equally well on both traditional PCs and touch screen displays, with a special version called Windows RT allowing the operating system to run on the ARM-based architecture favored by most mobile devices.

But rather than revive the fortunes of PC manufacturers, Windows 8 has even been blamed for accelerating the decline in sales, while its impact on the tablet market has been limited.

Adoption of the platform among consumers and enterprises has been sluggish and those who have made the jump have complained of usability issues. Manufacturing partners have been alienated by Microsoft’s decision to release its own tablet and Windows RT has been unable to convince consumers of its charms. Windows 8 is not yet a complete disaster for Microsoft; it has sold 100 million licenses after all. But that doesn’t mean it’s a success, far from it.  In the leap towards a mobile future, one where Apple and Google are set to dominate, Microsoft might get left in the past.

So What Went Wrong?

Tablet killed the PC Star… the rise of tablets has, for lack of a better term, cannibalized PC sales.  The issue is, tablets address the consumer’s needs much better, and for most consumers are users, not content creators.  Accelerated access and answers are what the consumers want, and the tablet does just that.  Not even mentioning the fact that tablets are easier to use, longer battery life, and has a reduced risk of infection.

What we have here… is a failure to communicate. 

Microsoft has failed miserably in communicating the advantages of Windows RT.   However, if that was all they had to worry about, it wouldn’t be fatal.  However, even if they did hone in the message, the lack of applications available is enough for the consumer to look elsewhere.  In fact, Windows RT can even run legacy PC applications. Compounding this fact is that, until recently, users did not have a version of Outlook – an amazing oversight when you consider Microsoft is billing Windows tablets as productivity machines.  Compounding this fact is that, until recently, users did not have a version of Outlook – an amazing oversight when you consider Microsoft is billing Windows tablets as productivity machines.

With the challenge of capturing tablets and PC markets concurrently with the same OS, Microsoft is effectively a jack of all trades, but a master of none, in the personal computing space at least.

It's a Pillow, It's a Pet!

By redundant access methods, i.e., a touchscreen interface on top of what has always been a mouse and keyboard operated platform has made simple tasks more difficult. On the PC side, the cost of putting a touchscreen on a powerful laptop or desktop has encouraged consumers to look for cheaper alternatives. This, along with the fact that most people are now willing to let their PCs age longer, has limited their appeal.

And, in the file of “who knew?” the omission of the Start button has become symbolic of the changes that Microsoft has forced on users. The company has tried to split the old desktop OS from the touchscreen interface, but, with its little changes to the old desktop model, it has failed to convince users this is the flexibility they want.

The rapid adoption of touchscreen devices means you can hardly blame Microsoft for some of the changes, but Windows 8 feels as though it is abandoning its existing user base without attracting tablet consumers.

Conflict of Interest

Many are angry at Microsoft’s decision to create its own tablet, the Microsoft Surface, and have subsequently scaled back or completely abandoned plans to release Windows RT tablets, including Acer and Toshiba. Some hardware partners are electing to release tablets running Android and PCs using Google Chrome OS. Others are starting to push out mixed OS devices, running Android and Windows, at least giving Microsoft a look-in.

And despite Surface, figures show it is yet to make its presence felt in the tablet market. Even though Microsoft recently entered the top five tablet manufacturers for the first time, thanks to combined shipments of the Surface Pro and Surface RT of 900,000, Windows 8 tablets accounted for just 3.3 percent of the market and Windows RT just 0.4 percent, according to IDG. Surface might not have been worth the backlash from allies.

Just Kidding…

But even by Microsoft’s standards there’s been a lot of “doom and gloom” and the inevitable question is whether it is capable of turning things around. Windows 8.1, due for imminent release, is now critical. Not just for the operating system, but for the future of Microsoft.

Windows 8.1 is an acknowledgement of many of the noted problems, and a strategy of incremental updates will gradually ease users into the changes the software giant ultimately wants to introduce into Windows.

The upgrade will make Windows 8 much more user friendly, improving standard applications and making the new interface more suited to mouse and keyboard users. But there are also signs that Microsoft is still being stubborn.

The Start button will indeed be returned, but without much of its original functionality. As it stands, it will simply take users to the new Start menu, a feat that is currently achieved by hovering the mouse on the bottom left corner of the screen.

There will be no application shortcuts either, nor easy access to recently viewed documents or the control panel. All of this suggests Microsoft isn’t willing to listen to users.

The addition of Outlook in Windows 8.1 is a start, but the Windows Store must be made a little less barren. Microsoft can throw all the money it wants at developers, but it will need a larger slice of the market if it wants to titillate software makers.

Windows 8 is not beyond salvation, but the radical changes it has introduced have not pleased tablet users, PC users and manufacturers – the three groups it needs to keep happy.

So will Windows 8 unseat Coca-Cola, that remains to be seen; however, it is clear that as with Coke, Microsoft severely underestimated the nation's sentimental attachment to the original product and interface.

Source(s):

• http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8-microsofts-new-coke-moment-7000014779/
• http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/windows-8-rt-tablets-pc-120379

So “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;”

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About Rick Ricker

An IT professional with over 21 years experience in Information Security, wireless broadband, network and Infrastructure design, development, and support.

For more information, contact Rick at (800) 399-6085 x502