PC Shipments Down 8.2%

[HvyMtl]

Windows 8.

This.

Windows 8 prevents sales of new computers. The "average Joe" user does not like the presumed learning curve. They do not like the change, and prefer Windows 7 GUI over Windows 8 and its tiles.

How do I know? My second job is on the sales floor of a box retail. In many cases, the only way I can get someone to buy a Win 8 product is advising them how to remove the tablet overlay, and get the start button back. (Some I show the registry edit, but most I point to the utility programs (since when did programs become apps?) out there that do the change for them.)

The Metro interface is a flop.

 

[Teenk9]

I agree, that's probably the biggest reason. Maybe now's the time for one the big PC manufacturers to start trying to sell Linux PCs.

They already did that. It failed. Now you can barely find any Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc. pre-installed with Linux. You have to order a custom build.

 

[pelo]

You sure it's not the recession, and a lack of needing to upgrade a 3 year old system that still does everything you can throw at it?

These same people are buying $600 smartphones and tablets instead of PCs. The global recession has only significantly impacted the PC market while mobile continues to boom. It's the latter that's the issue, not the recession. People have no need to buy a new PC. In fact, a lot of folks don't even need PCs in the first place.

As for Linux, it's now the dominant OS when you take into account all forms of computing. Microsoft went from having 80+% of the entire market to now being a minority. Their last vestige of importance is on the desktop and laptop, both of which are shrinking. You can argue regarding Linux and its relevance in the desktop space all you want, it's king everywhere else.

 

[phatbx133]

not only Windows 8 but with Blue pack even worse drain toilet.

 

[Ashton]

Windows 8 prevents sales of new computers. The "average Joe" user does not like the presumed learning curve. They do not like the change, and prefer Windows 7 GUI over Windows 8 and its tiles.
(...)
The Metro interface is a flop.

Doesnt have to be the average Joe. I hate it too. Not just the tiles, but if I try to move my cursor from too far to ANY side/corner of the trackpad I end up activating some function or another. Yes, I know these can be turned off, but it's still annoying (and they redid control pannel so it's more of a chore to find out where to turn them off)

I will admit this probably works great for tablet users, but they have a huge 7-10" "trackpad" while us laptop users have one that's 1-3" and it means a huge difference... I'm hoping MS gets smart and makes Windows 9 (or whatever the buck they call it) let you CHOOSE either the "classic" desktop, the "Aero" desktop, or the "Metro" desktop based on if your on a laptop, desktop, or tablet...

 

[heatlesssun]

Yes, I know these can be turned off, but it's still annoying (and they redid control pannel so it's more of a chore to find out where to turn them off)

Little in the desktop Control Panel has changed between 7 and 8. Edge swipes like all other track pad gestures are accessed through the mouse settings applet whose features and UI vary by manufacturer. That's no different than in Windows 7 but 8 would generally expose more track pad options as there are more gestures to control than in 7.

 

[Drheadbang]

These same people are buying $600 smartphones and tablets instead of PCs. The global recession has only significantly impacted the PC market while mobile continues to boom. It's the latter that's the issue, not the recession. People have no need to buy a new PC. In fact, a lot of folks don't even need PCs in the first place.

As for Linux, it's now the dominant OS when you take into account all forms of computing. Microsoft went from having 80+% of the entire market to now being a minority. Their last vestige of importance is on the desktop and laptop, both of which are shrinking. You can argue regarding Linux and its relevance in the desktop space all you want, it's king everywhere else.

For now anyway, I can see Valve pushing Linux hard.

 

[Drheadbang]

Also, is there anyone on here who buys desktop computers?

 

[heatlesssun]

These same people are buying $600 smartphones and tablets instead of PCs.

Who is paying $600 out of pocket for a smartphone? And outside iPads and Windows tablets who is playing $600 for a tablet? And I think that many analysts said that the iPad Mini impacted the sales of more expensive iPads.

 

[pelo]

Who is paying $600 out of pocket for a smartphone?

Everyone. When you a new shiny smartphone, it costs around that price. That's why you get charged a costly bill every month. Whether it's incentivized or not, it's still $400-$600.

And outside iPads and Windows tablets who is playing $600 for a tablet? And I think that many analysts said that the iPad Mini impacted the sales of more expensive iPads.

Well, technically speaking nobody is buying Windows tablets. iPads are still the #1 selling tablet.

I know people want to blame the recession and stick their head in the sand here, but the mobile market is absolutely booming and hasn't showed any signs of slowing down. In fact, it's actually picking up, all the while PC sales have slowed dramatically. That's a sign of people switching their primary form of computing to a tablet/smartphone rather than a PC, whether laptop or desktop.

How is any of this at all surprising?

 

[r3awak3n]

Microsoft just needs to put the start button back for a future update so that people can stfu about windows 8 already.

Computers for the casual user have not change significantly in the past 7 years. I just upgraded 4 months ago or so because my qx6700 (first consumer quad) was bottlenecking bf3 but if I did not want teh computer for games, it would be just fine. I decided to take those parts and build an HTPC and its over kill for that and does everything it needs to do perfectly. Pretty much any non games/average consumer would be just fine with that machine for daily use.
I do think that tablets and the recession has a lot to do with this.

 

[DejaWiz]

QFT

http://www.zdnet.com/five-reasons-why-windows-8-has-failed-7000012104/

Microsoft is dragging down the entire PC industry with Windows 8. The sooner they realize this, the better.

Microsoft doesn't see this as a problem, IMO. Windows 8 was designed from the get-go to be a touch-screen enabled OS and is tailored to run on a plethora of devices sporting such tech: phones, tablets, phablets, touchscreen laptops, touchscreen desktops, etc. For users with multiple devices, Win8 will auto-synch just about everything between all those devices.

With such a huge market shift to mobile devices, it was a smart choice on MS's part for long term viability of an OS...it's just too bad it sucks on a keyboard/mouse driven laptop/desktop for my needs. And a lot of others feel the same way about it, too. I've done a metric fuck-ton of Win7 "rollbacks" for lots of family memebrs and friends that have bought new non-touchscreen systems recently...MS is getting their money regardless since these people are having to buy a RAM kit/SSD/whatever and an OEM copy of WIn7.

 

[pxc]

Sadly, I do think MS looked at Apple and tried to get ahead of the curve with Metro. It was a gamble, and turned out to be a bad one at this moment. But I don't agree that Win8 is what's causing the PC downturn. The worldwide economy, "developing markets" failing to attract PC business and the ongoing drift to other computing platforms everywhere are hurting PC sales.

I'm not a fan of Win8, but it's not the real problem here. Win8 has been out to consumers for less than 5 months and PC shipments have been sinking for 24 months, which followed a short recovery and stagnated growth. Regardless of the anecdotes that "everybody hates Windows 8", non-nerd Joe and Joan six pack types seem to happily use Win8.

 

[r3awak3n]

not everyone hates windows 8, I really do not mind it. I mean, I am not congratulating microsoft on an amazing job but I do not think its the shittiest thing in the world (vista was way way worst).

I mean, microsoft just needed to put a button that disables all the bs (tiles, corner gestures, etc.) and adds the start button back and they would have avoided all this heat. Because at the end of the day, the software actually runs pretty well but is riddled with new silly features that are made for tablets and dont belong on a desktop.

 

[buttons]

I really wanted to like windows 8, I was ready for a break from the "start button" However, windows 8 makes me rage. I am going to switch my machines to ubuntu 12.1. If i can get WoW to work under WINE now, there will be no going back to microsoft.

 

[heatlesssun]

Everyone. When you a new shiny smartphone, it costs around that price. That's why you get charged a costly bill every month. Whether it's incentivized or not, it's still $400-$600.

Most peoples' receipts for the purchase price of their last smartphone will not show $400 to $600 but something substantially less.

Well, technically speaking nobody is buying Windows tablets. iPads are still the #1 selling tablet.

Technically speaking regardless of the number people are buying Windows 8 tablets some are and I would imagine more Windows tablets are sold at the $600 plus range than Android tablets.

 

[Ashton]

Also, is there anyone on here who buys desktop computers?

I sorta do, my family does group-buys and I usually go along with it because it's normally a huge jump (single to dual core, dual core to quad core, quad core to "virtual" octocore (i7) though more often than not it's a bare-bones kit and not a purchase from a "big name" like Dell or HP

How is any of this at all surprising?

Because everyone I know *HATES* typing on a tablet/smartphone (and doesnt want to carry around a keyboard), hates the tiny screens on smartphones, and needs full desktop OSes to run "required" programs wheather they're Office, Photoshop, or WoW.

Computers for the casual user have not change significantly in the past 7 years.

This. And those PCs are still working, compared to a large number of "low end" systems in the past that were *lucky* to last 2 years (used to be a regular cycle for me - buy a new PC every 2 years because the old one would fail.

Microsoft doesn't see this as a problem, IMO. Windows 8 was designed from the get-go to be a touch-screen enabled OS and is tailored to run on a plethora of devices sporting such tech: phones, tablets, phablets, touchscreen laptops, touchscreen desktops, etc. For users with multiple devices, Win8 will auto-synch just about everything between all those devices.

Gee, didn't some other OS do this already....

And yes, on a plethora of devices it's great to have a uniform interface, but form factor and human-machine-interface must be taken into account. As almsot everyone mentioning this has said, Windows8 does NOT work well on a laptop or a desktop, it was designed for a touch interface... and lets not forget that Win8-phone-edition is scraping the bottom of the barrel right now and most analysts dont see it becoming #1, which means at the absolute best, 2:3 users dont use WP8 and thus dont get the benefiet of all these features...

I mean, microsoft just needed to put a button that disables all the bs (tiles, corner gestures, etc.) and adds the start button back and they would have avoided all this heat. Because at the end of the day, the software actually runs pretty well but is riddled with new silly features that are made for tablets and dont belong on a desktop.

This. Discounting the "start page" (or whatever it's called) and all the added tablet gestures that annoyed me, when we got down to brass tax, it was as good an OS as any. I just hope Win9 (or win 8 SPx includes an easy toggle to go back to Aero or even Classic)