Say what you want about Windows 8, but it looks like Microsoft’s new operating system is starting to grow on consumers. According to recent remarks made by Steve Ballmer at the Build 2012 conference, Windows 8 has been purchased and activated by four million people around the world since its release.
Furthermore, that number is expected to only include individual upgrades to Windows 8 – consumers who have decided to purchase the new operating system. Ballmer mentioned that tens of millions more Windows 8 upgrade units have been purchased by corporate customers. Since Windows 8 came under fire for not appealing to the corporate crowd, it looks like some companies are bucking that trend.
The Build Conference is a chance for Microsoft to showcase the development potential of its new operating system. During that conference, Ballmer and other Microsoft execs showcased everything from music creation programs to Windows Phone 8.
Although the four million activation figure is decent, it’s too early to tell what that means. Nevertheless, Ballmer offers a bold prediction for Windows 8 in the future. He claims that, over the next year, we’ll see a total of 400 million new Windows 8 activations. Since Windows 7 sold 700 million total copies since it was released in 2009, this might be too high of a target.
In any case, Microsoft is pleased with early sales figures and the company is investing all its time and effort into making the operating system as feature-rich as possible. To learn more about the statements made by Microsoft during the Build Conference, click here for the full transcript.