In WINDOWS8 's dismal market performance, Microsoft is finally unable to sit

local time in Wednesday, Microsoft officially released the Windows 8.1 Preview in San Francisco's Build developers conference, the first beta version of the Windows 8.1 system. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer revealed that the 8.1 official edition will be released in November.

The biggest "highlight" of the preview version is the restoration of the familiar "start" button for traditional PC users, and allows users to log on directly to the desktop interface. This change has been warmly welcomed by traditional PC users. Wang, Acer's chairman, evaluated Microsoft's change, saying it was good news for the PC industry that Microsoft was deliberately making changes. "If they used to live in heaven, they would now come to Earth and begin to understand the ideas of ordinary people," he said. ”

However, the overseas media also commented that Windows 8 is Microsoft from the "Mouse + keyboard" era to the transition to the era of "Hope Boat", the resumption of the "Start" button is only a small compromise Microsoft, Microsoft will not give up the vision of Win 8.

Windows 8 voted by the user with their feet

Microsoft's high hopes for Windows 8, after the listing, but Gray-headed face. Microsoft had hoped to embrace the era of touch, the biggest change since the advent of the Windows operating system. However, because the change is too big, the traditional PC user is simply not adapted to this, many users after the trial has chosen to return to Windows 7. Coupled with this change is not much useful for traditional desktops and laptops, it's understandable that Windows 8 is cold after it goes public.

Windows 8 is also seen as one of the main reasons for the sharp decline in the PC market, as the desire for a user upgrade is not strong, and not only is the PC camp's expected Windows8 to pull PC sales down. IDC, a market-research firm, said the operating system actually slowed the growth of the PC market. Although Microsoft said it had sold more than 100 million Windows 8 licenses so far, IDC data showed a 14% per cent reduction in global PC shipments in the first quarter of this year, the biggest drop since 1994.

Clearly, Microsoft is aware of the seriousness of the problem. When Mr. Ballmer announced the "Start" button at the build developer conference, the warm applause at the Windows8.1 back was enough to show how unpopular Microsoft's changes were before. However, Windows8.1 is not simply a return to the "Start" button. It also dramatically improves search capabilities across the entire system, deeply integrates SkyDrive cloud computing synchronization and management services, provides better multitasking capabilities, and the new system supports 3D printers. This series of moves shows that Microsoft listens to the user opinion, completes the new system transformation.

The laggard becomes the "Fast Company"

In the Internet age, Microsoft's pace has slowed markedly, being seen as the internet's laggard. However, from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, the changes that have taken place in Microsoft have made the overseas media comment that Microsoft began to cater only to the enterprise's IT managers and quickly to cater to the end users.

Prior to the release of an important operating system version every three years, Microsoft has released more than 700 improvements since Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 has more than 800 updates, less than a year. It is the first time in Microsoft's history to have such a high speed and fast pace. "We are entering a high speed release cycle," Ballmer said. This is where we are at the moment, and we have to motivate our ecosystems and partners. ”

In addition to the changes in the operating system, Microsoft has also been speeding up the pace of app application. Ballmer revealed that the total number of WINDOWS8 applications has now reached 100,000, download the total number of hundreds of millions of times. Although this number is still small compared to other app stores, it has achieved rapid growth. In addition, OFFICE2014 's full touch-control office software will be released next year.

However, the industry still has doubts about Microsoft's changes. Frank Gillet, a market research firm Forrester analyst, writes that by publishing 8.1, Microsoft has better unified desktops and modern screens, but these changes have not touched the depths. "Microsoft has sharpened some rough edges, but it has not fundamentally changed the fact that there are two experiences in a system," he said. ”