Really bad news for Microsoft
Sales of its brand new operating system, Windows 8, are "well below projections," inside the company says Paul Thurott at Windows SuperSite.
Thurott is probably the most plugged-in Microsoft reporter. When he says something, you can trust it.
He says sales are being described internally as "disappointing."
Microsoft is blaming its PC partners for the slow start, says Thurott. His source blamed PC makers "inability to deliver".
This is a strange, and frankly pathetic, explanation.
There's no question Apple makes the best laptops and companies like HP, Dell, and Asus, chase after what Apple makes.
But the PC makers are still reliant on Microsoft and its software. And they can only sell computers running on Windows.
The only real explanation of worse than expected sales is that Microsoft decided to mess with the world's most popular operating system and it's blowing up in its face.
As Thurott puts it: "Microsoft’s new whatever-the-F-it-is operating system is a confusing, Frankenstein’s monster mix of old and new that hides a great desktop upgrade under a crazy Metro front-end."
Microsoft took a big risk with Windows 8 trying to make it more touch friendly. It has confused consumers. With Apple's iPad providing a good enough alternate to a full on laptop, Microsoft's Windows franchise is at risk.
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