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HP promotes Windows 7 systems: "back by popular demand"

by Mark Tyson on 21 January 2014, 13:12

Tags: Windows 7, Windows 8, Hewlett Packard (NYSE:HPQ), PC

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Over the weekend, HP has been emailing its customers with the message that "Windows 7 is back." The company also launched a new campaign on its website saying that the OS is "back by popular demand".

The bold move means that HP is dropping Windows 8 by preloading most of its PCs with Windows 7 as standard, with Windows 8 relegated to being an optional customisation. The company decided that Windows 7's popularity was its best chance to sell more PCs in a declining market, with discounts of $150 advertised, encouraging consumers to take preference on Windows 7 PCs.

Many may think that HP's decision was made upon considering several factors going against Windows 8; including its public perception, criticism over its hybrid system, the fact its largely blamed for the declining PC market and even rumours of Microsoft's plan to accelerate Windows 9's release.

However the company's stand in favour of Windows 7 was said to be "a clever pitch by HP, not a change in sales strategy" by ZDNet's Ed Bott. Reportedly, HP is actually selling less Windows 7 models today than it did last summer, contradicting the "by popular demand" assertion.

A table of HP's mix of OSes on PCs sold online was also provided by Bott (see below) indicating a total of five models of Windows 7 PCs sold in Jan 2014 compared to the 68 Windows 8/8.1, challenging the firm's campaign slogan.

Operating System

August 2013

January 2014

Laptops/Hybrids

 

 

 Android 

 1

 Chrome OS 

 Windows 7

 Windows 8.x 

31 

35 

Desktops/All-in-ones

 

 

 Android 

 Windows 7 

 Windows 8.x 

30 

33 

 

According to IDC's recent report, HP's shipments in U.S. have plummeted more than 12 per cent year on year. We think that the firm has cleverly planned its new promotion as it chose to promote Windows 7 as a selling point. (According to StatCounter, Windows 7 had 54.8 per cent share of browsing worldwide whilst Windows 8/8.1 has an 8.1 per cent share.) We'll be interested to see how HP's PC sales are affected by the new Windows 7 focus, in the next quarterly results.



HEXUS Forums :: 27 Comments

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That doesn't surprise me at all. I work in a large organisation with 2000+ IT users and we have pretty much stayed clear of Windows 8 much in the same way we completely ignored Vista and Windows ME. The only platform we use Windows 8 on is the odd tablet here and there.
They tried to turned PC to media consumption toys and forgot people actual do things with them. Good move HP, now bring back 16:10 screens. Add a little more pixel density. Like an IPS 1440x900 13inch laptop screen standard. Buttery smooth great touchpad standard. Make a better PC not just tabletify a PC. And I think you be on the right track.

Continued from above. Also find the right mix of more is more and less is more. Skip the expensive ultra book processor and use standard laptop processor. Leave off VGA output, leave off cd slot, leave off touch screen. Include more built in battery, great keyboard, great video camera and microphone. Shrink the external power supply charger. Try a model like this and you will see it will be the most popular sales laptop, if you get the pricing right.

Oh. HP take a one step forward than just offering Window 7. Microsoft still getting paid and consumers get the short end of the stick. Offer more no OS installed options on new PC's. Send the message that you value your customers more than you value Microsoft.
Microsoft, I hope you're listening because THIS here is a clear indication that a lot of people doesn't want Windows 8 on their PCs and laptops.
Lister
That doesn't surprise me at all. I work in a large organisation with 2000+ IT users and we have pretty much stayed clear of Windows 8 much in the same way we completely ignored Vista and Windows ME.
We've got a choice here - most folks are on Windows 7, but that's because possibly IT support are advising that some of the corporate software doesn't work properly with Windows 8. Oh, and the Windows 8 build is obviously not as well developed as the Windows 7 one. ;)
bluevaping
Also find the right mix of more is more and less is more. Skip the expensive ultra book processor and use standard laptop processor. Leave off VGA output, leave off cd slot, leave off touch screen. Include more built in battery, great keyboard, great video camera and microphone. Shrink the external power supply charger. Try a model like this and you will see it will be the most popular sales laptop, if you get the pricing right.
So basically what you want is a “budget” laptop then. Thought everyone was trying to kill off ye olde VGA output because HDMI or DP were more “up to date” (plus smaller, and you can get converters anyway).
bluevaping
Offer more no OS installed options on new PC's.
HP - like Dell - does do Linux kit, but you've got to look very, very, very hard - and basically they're positioned as business-only. While I agree with you about the desirability of a “give me the hardware only” system, problem is what do you do about support? You can guarantee that some muppet will buy one of these and either bitch that they can't do anything with it, or complain that there's no drivers for Some-wierd-OS-you've-never-heard-of. Although the answer to that last point is to offer drivers for Fedora, Debian/Ubuntu and Suse, plus ideally source for those folks running Gentoo, Arch, etc.
zdn1042
Microsoft, I hope you're listening because THIS here is a clear indication that a lot of people doesn't want Windows 8 on their PCs and laptops.
People want choice - even a no-cost 7/8 choice. Although, I'll point out that this probably isn't anything more than a PR stunt. But hey, if it means we can get a machine cheaper then I'm not going to complain.
crossy
People want choice - even a no-cost 7/8 choice. Although, I'll point out that this probably isn't anything more than a PR stunt. But hey, if it means we can get a machine cheaper then I'm not going to complain.
A choice that Microsoft have taken away by removing 7 from the retail channels.