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Windows 10 end of life driving sales
The winding down of support for the Microsoft operating system is spurring hardware activity in both consumer and commercial markets
With just days to go before the end of support for Windows 10, the need for customers to upgrade has already helped drive hardware sales through the channel.
In both commercial and consumer markets, there has been evidence in terms of recent analyst numbers to indicate a positive impact from the 14 October end of support deadline.
Adding to that picture, the latest market analysis of the European consumer PC market from Context shows there has been accelerated growth in the third quarter.
The analyst found the end of life support, combined with the growing appetite for AI-capable devices, was driving demand.
“This strong performance is being driven by a clear combination of two factors: the urgent need to upgrade before the Windows 10 end of support deadline in late October, and the compelling experience offered by new AI [artificial intelligence]-enabled devices,” said James Bates, retail analyst at Context.
There has been growth across both laptop and PC categories, with the majority of devices sold being AI-enabled.
“The Windows 10 end of support is the immediate catalyst for the current boom, but the tangible benefits and new experiences delivered by CoPilot are what cement the AI PC as the consumer’s preferred future-ready investment,” said Bates.
State of the market
The PC refresh cropped up as a theme at the Canalys Channel Forum, with both Microsoft and Dell commenting on the current state of the market.
Executives from both vendors viewed the end of life support and the emergence of AI devices as opportunities for the channel to drive sales.
“That’s a great opportunity for our partners to also lead our customers through to a more secure environment in the world that we live in today, and the best way to do that is to refresh the device,” said Bart van der Knapp, general manager for enterprise and EMEA channel at Microsoft.
Adrian McDonald, president for EMEA at Dell Technologies, said the bulk of its PC sales went via partners, and that PC continued to be a crucial area for the business.
“Everything PC-related … is incredibly critical to us,” he said. “Going forward, you’ll see us doubling down on that in the weeks, months and years to come – the role of the partner is our go to market in that space.”
Despite the long run-up to the end of support for Windows 10, a number of customers have yet to make the jump off the operating system, continuing to provide a need for the channel educate those users.
“The end of support for Windows 10 is a critical moment for organisations, especially those with thousands of devices,” said Kelly Candler, modern workplace global offering lead at DXC Technology. “There is a lot at stake if these businesses fail to upgrade to Windows 11, from heightened cyber vulnerabilities, compliance gaps to productivity disruption for the workforce.”
She added that the upgrade moment should provide partners with more than just a conversation around PCs and operating systems.
“At a pivotal time like this, businesses should not only focus on upgrading their operating systems, but also transformation that will ensure long-term security, compliance and agility,” said Candler. “When businesses align technology upgrades and business goals, it creates a future-ready digital workplace that thrives off innovation, enhances user experience and maintains regulatory compliance.”
