It’s still happening. IDC puts out PC processor statistics while ignoring ARM and non-x86. Then PCWorld publishes an apocalyptic tale of life after that other OS. It’s so weird. ARM is growing very rapidly and is huge in the mobile space. To ignore it in PC processors is silly. Many of us already enjoy life after M$ and it is just fine. The report expected today on M$’s latest quarter may tell us how they have done in the same quarter that everyone else says is a rebound. If we are truly on the way to being free of M$, their numbers should be sad for the client division. I predict that up-selling will not work very well. I see machines recently purchased equipped with Vista which is going out with fire-sale prices. That cannot help profitability for a monopoly. They had the same trouble with XP only now the problem is with retail. How big is the stock of Vista machines?
Update The figures are now in. That other OS client division brought in $2.8 billion more revenue than in the same quarter last year. The sad thing is that $1.7 billion of revenue counted this quarter was deferred income from sales of Vista (with upgrade rights to “7″). That means they got a 20% increase in revenue when PC production returned to normal from the slump. That means no “pop” in the quarter in which “7″ was released. The CPU and PC sector saw 30 and 15% increases. Up-selling is just not working…
Just before reading the report, I noticed my favourite supplier of computer stuff has decided the netbook will be here to stay and created a netbook category in the database, full of XP, Vista, and “7″ starter. The prices range from $300+ for XP to $500+ for “7″ starter. HOOHAHAHAHA… How sad for a monopoly not to be able to force the customer to take those little extras. Now, if only my supplier realized there are other OS out there and non-x86 CPUs… That will come in the real world of 2010.
Update For another analysis of the numbers see El Reg.
Update: IDC does it again. While trumpeting that Android will be the #2 OS on smartphone by 2013, they announce Linux will trail badly… I guess they don’t know that Android is a GNU/Linux distro.
Been following you for a while at that “other” site, have you seen newegg’s selection of low cost nettops and netbooks?
Yes. 18 models of netbooks from MSI and ASUS and not one running GNU/Linux. It is sad that they would give up a slice of the market just to please one supplier. If they do not need or want our business we can shop elsewhere. see Google.
Not true anymore!
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220004R
ASUS Eee Box EBXB202-BLK-E0002 Intel Atom N270(1.60GHz) 1GB DDR2 160GB Intel GMA 950 Linux EZOS
Not exactly a netbook. I guess that would be a nettop… I installed one of those with XP last year for a teacher who wanted desk space and a new PC. Cool. Booted in seconds to GNU/Linux.