Ok, so maybe there is a slight catch in this, a recent survey by Retrevo ( a consumer electronics marketplace ) showed that 67% of Mac users would be willing to try out Windows 7 ………. if it was free. But look at it this way, how many users are willing to try out Linux Distros, which are also free?
These answers were based on users who primarily used Macs as there main PC. They were asked if Microsoft (hypothetically) provided a free copy to Mac OS users would they install it and try Windows 7 as their main OS?A surprising 67% of Mac users said they would. However the Mac loyalists still proved themselves. A convincing 97% gave a resounding “No!” when they were asked if Windows 7 would make them switch to using it as their primary OS. However the fact that 67% said they would be willing to give it a try shows that they Mac users do have some interest in Windows 7, but seem to be rather shy about sharing it.
Consumers Are Waiting For Windows 7
Despite the range of free upgrade offers that have been run by Microsoft and OEM’s to help keep PC sales going, It appears from this survey that a large 37% of consumers are still waiting for Windows 7 to be released before buying a new PC.
- Have you been waiting for the release of Windows 7 to buy a new PC?
This isn’t really that much of a surprise as I don’t think there is too many consumers who want to got through the hassle of applying for the upgrade and then having to install it themselves. It’s much easier just to buy a new computer with Windows 7 preloaded onto it and not having to worry about drivers etc… It appears that Windows 7 appears to be a good excuse for some consumers to buy a new computer.So by the sounds of it, there is still some hope for retailers to make up for the losses they’ve suffered this year due to the economic downturn.
Demand For Windows 7 Is There
This survey also shows us that over 60% of consumers are thinking of upgrading to Windows 7. A surprising 3% have already upgraded to Windows 7, and it’s not even released to the General Public yet. Another 12% said they will be upgrading on October 22nd or as soon as they can, and the majority of users ( 47% ) are going to wait and see what other people have to say about it first. According to estimates by Retrevo even a 12% upgrade rate on old computers would equate to 188 million copies of Windows 7 sold. As for the 38% “No” vote, I presume it’s mainly loyal XP fans that are yet to be convinced.
I can understand while nearly 50% of consumers are waiting to hear what people have to say about Windows 7. Windows Vista had lots of positive feedback before it was finally released, unfortunately for Microsoft ,it failed miserably at meeting these expectations. Consumers that jumped on the Vista wagon don’t want a repeat of this episode, and i’m sure Microsoft are hoping the same thing. As for the other 38%. Have you not read this article by one of our own editors. It’s been 8 years since XP, things change and you need to change as well.
I know that this 38% of “No” votes aren’t all XP Users. I assume there is some Mac and Linux users in there as well. Every OS is different and some may prefer Snow Leopard for stability and some may prefer Linux because it’s free. They are perfectly entitled to use whatever OS they want.
But to Vista users, I really think it would be worth your while upgrading to Windows 7 – period.
About This Study
As I mentioned earlier Retrevo is a consumers electronic marketplace. The results of this survey were based on 448 online users of Retrevo in the United States. It was carried out on individuals of varying age, gender, income and location within the United States.
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