Latest Windows operating system installed on 300 mn devices: Microsoft
06 May 2016
The latest Windows operating system designed to work on laptops, desktops, smartphones, Xbox One consoles and more was powering 300 million devices around the world, Microsoft announced.
"We're seeing people at home, at schools, at small businesses, at large companies, and other organizations adopt Windows 10 faster than ever, and use Windows 10 more than ever before," Yusuf Mehdi, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows and Devices Group, said in a blog post.
The fast pace of adoption might be due to the company's move to make Windows 10 available as a free upgrade through 29 July, commentators say.
After 29 July the OS will be available pre-installed on new devices, or priced at $119 if purchased separately for a home version, Microsoft said.
Although Microsoft has a dominating presence in the personal computer software market, its presence on smartphones is pretty thin.
The 300 million includes new computers and devices with Windows 10 installed, as also upgrades of existing gadgets.
Microsoft is targeting powering a billion devices with its operating system by 2018, which would bring it on par with Apple, which said this year it had 1 billion active devices running iOS.
Microsoft launched Windows 10 last year, giving it away as a free upgrade for a year which was (most likely) ending on 29 July.
"The free upgrade offer to Windows 10 was a first for Microsoft, helping people upgrade faster than ever before. And time is running out. The free upgrade offer will end on July 29... After July 29th, you'll be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119," Mehdi wrote on the company blog.
Mehdi also had a few facts related to Windows 10 to share - more than 63 billion minutes were spent on Microsoft Edge in March, with 50 per cent growth in minutes since the last quarter.
Microsoft's Edge browser was launched along the Windows 10 and it replaced the much-used but not-similarly-loved Internet Explorer.
Cortana, the personal assistant that came with Windows 10, had answered 6 billion questions so far.
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