The bell tolls for Windows 7 and Windows 8, as Microsoft officially ends sales of OEM licenses, effective this week. Windows 7 is the most popular operating system in existence, whose popularity is owed in no small part, to Windows 8, in the wake of consumers backlash concerning the operating system’s user interface.
Windows 8 was initially introduced with a completely touch-based interface, in parallel with its RT version, an Android-like version of Windows 8 reduced to running exclusively apps from the Windows Store.
This caused consumers confusion, particularly after having purchased Surface tablets preloaded with Windows RT, only to discover that the operating system could not run any desktop applications.
The strategy backfired so badly that Microsoft felt that it would have been in the best interest of the company’s image to extend support of Windows 7 past its original 2014 deadline, to match Windows 8, the desktop version of which received its own share of complaints in regard to the missing Windows Start button, and a proper taskbar, which was also replaced by a Metro tile menu.
While support for both operating systems will not end until January 2020, Microsoft has officially stopped selling anymore OEM licenses of either Windows 8 nor Windows 7.
With that said, manufacturers who have already ordered new licenses, will be able to build and sell PCs until inventory is depleted.
Also, retailers selling PCs still powered by Windows 7 and Windows 8 will not be affected, and users will still be able to purchase and activate their products without trouble.
With Windows 7 still holding onto the lion’s share of PCs worldwide, pulling the plug on OEM licenses is a move which has been a long time coming. While Windows 7 has lost 20% of its dominance, the operating system is still running on as much as 48% of personal computers.
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