Microsoft's
Windows
7 operating system, due for release in October, will drive
revenues and growth for many IT companies, according to a report by
IDC.
The release of the
new operating system will have a positive effect for hardware,
software, IT services and distribution firms, the
Microsoft-sponsored report said.
This, in turn, will help economies to climb out of the current
economic crisis, with more than 177m copies of Windows 7 expected
to be shipped by the end of 2010.
IDC expects this figure to grow to 273m in 2013.
Worldwide, 350,000 companies selling products and services
related to Windows 7 are expected to generate more than $320bn in
revenue in the first year.
Employment will also benefit, with IT companies expected to
employ more than 600,000 people in Europe alone.
For every €1 of packaged software sold, there is another €1.24
revenue to IT service firms, said the report.
Software revenue and additional services revenue also drive
revenue in the distribution channel and, together, these help fund
employment, according to IDC analysts.
Windows 7 can be
pre-ordered from today and Microsoft is kick-starting sales
with
massive discounts for early adopters.