Windows 10 and PC migration

“Microsoft is doing a lot of good things right now and we believe the launch of Windows 10 later this year will not only have a significant impact on Microsoft’s share of the market, but on the industry as a whole,” said Jean Philippe Bouchard, Research Director, Tablets at IDC. – IDC, 2015

When Windows 10 releases later this month, it is to great expectations. Unlike Windows 8, it is anticipated that existing PC users will switch much more rapidly to Windows 10. Here are a number of reasons why:

1. Windows 10 will be more user friendly than Windows 8, including a redesigned and optimized Start menu, virtual desktops, and resizable Windows Store apps that behave more like legacy apps.
2. Analysts predict massive conversions from XP, Vista, 7, and even 8/8.1, supported by the fact that it will be free for Win 7 and Win 8/8.1 users.
3. Windows 10 is the real successor for Windows 7 for enterprises, with a lot of emphasis on desktops and enhancements in security, manageability, etc.
4. Many of the improvements will be especially important to businesses, allowing them to deploy and manage PC’s running Windows 10 easier and more cost-efficient than ever.
5. Windows 10 will launch in the second half of 2015, and it’s expected that the new operating system will not only help Microsoft to bring more users back to its platform, but it will also contribute to better PC sales as the appeal of new computers will grow significantly for customers.

So while this is great news for existing PC customers, the other big questions is:

What about new PC Sales?

“Economic and product changes will create a headwind in the short term,” IDC states in a press release, “So in 2015, only 293.1 million PCs will be sold.” – IDC, 2015

It’s a mixed bag. Analyst firm IDC^® is not all that optimistic and says that, despite the arrival of Windows 10, new PC sales are still expected to decline this year. In fact, IDC has recently lowered its forecast of this year’s new PC sales, claiming that this market is expected to fall by 4.9 percent in 2015, despite the initial estimate of a 3.3 percent decline.

Windows 10 to slightly increase sales.

New PC shipments will remain moderate throughout the year, but in late 2015, the arrival of Windows 10 is expected to lead to a small increase in PC sales.

“More significant product refreshes from the likes of Intel^® and Microsoft (Windows 10) will be released later in the year, shifting OEM product updates and consumer interest to later in 2015,” IDC said.

Up until now, the PC market has posted a small increase, partially thanks to more companies replacing their Windows XP systems due to the end of support in 2014. It is also because of Windows 8.1 with Bing, an operating system that’s offered either free of charge or with a very low license cost to manufacturers, with the purpose of cutting down the final price of their devices.

IDC says that the only good news for PC makers is that demand for tablets and other portable devices has dropped recently and is expected to continue going down in the upcoming months.

What does this mean for PC Migration?

All other scenarios require a “clean install” of Windows, which can be done either by reformatting the hard drive or by “over-installing” the new operating system. Both cases result in the applications, data, and settings being moved to different directories. Applications will not be registered with the new OS, which provides opportunities for our valued resellers.Windows 10 is likely to increase demand for PCs, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that everything will be perfect. And while there are many ways to migrate to a new version of Windows, few “solutions” actually allow an in-place upgrade. In particular, any remaining Windows XP users, all Windows Vista users, any 32-bit Windows 7 users, and any users remaining on Windows 8 cannot easily upgrade. There are also limitations imposed for users upgrading from a 32-bit to 64-bit in Windows 10. While users of 64-bit Windows 7 and users of Windows 8.1 will have a comparatively easier time completing an in-place upgrade to the newest OS when it’s available, it still won’t be easy.

The ideal PC migration solution:

The versions of PCmover Suite ideal for consumer and small company migrations are PCmover Professional (download only) and PCmover Ultimate (physical box, including High-Speed Transfer Cable and SafeErase). This reselling opportunity is for those with tech savvy staff to drive migrations in-house or at-home users. By purchasing multi-packs in the partner portal of these versions, partners will profit on the margin when reselling to clients