In April 2015, before Windows 10 even launched, Microsoft set a lofty goal: “In two to three years,” Windows 10 would be on 1 billion devices. Today, one year after the operating system’s launch, Microsoft has admitted defeat for the first time, as reported by ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley.
"Windows 10 has had the hottest launch in history with over 350 million monthly active devices, with record customer satisfaction and engagement," a Microsoft spokesperson said.
“We are pleased with our progress to date, but due to our focus on phone hardware, it will take longer to reach our goal of 1 billion monthly active devices running Windows 10.”
In other words, Windows 10 Mobile did not deliver as expected since there is essentially no Windows Mobile, at least not as Microsoft dreams of it, or to put it better, not as its customers dream of it.
Microsoft was clearly also counting on sales of devices running the company's mobile operating system, so perhaps the one billion device goal seemed achievable, although I personally still find it too high. But Windows Phone sales are falling more and more each quarter, so much so that Microsoft should reconsider its Windows 10 goal timeline.
Windows 10 was installed on over 75 million computers in the first four weeks, then reached 110 million devices in 10 weeks, 200 million in less than six months, 270 million after eight months, 300 million after nine months, and then 350 million after 11 months.
The numbers are certainly impressive as they surpassed every other operating system from the company, even Windows 7. Thus, “Microsoft failed to achieve its goal.”
Meanwhile, Microsoft's free upgrade offer ends this month, and as we've said before, the company should seriously consider extending it.
