HP claims Windows XP’s downfall will boost PC sales

Windows XP setup screen — Image used with permission by copyright holder

According to PC World, executives at HP are claiming the impending Windows XP downfall could lead to increased PC sales in the near future.

PC sales were supposed to increase with the release of Windows 8, but the new operating system failed to catch the attention of users, primarily due to its “hard-to-embrace” interface redesign. A recent quarterly report from IDC states that PC shipments have fallen 14 percent year-over-year. There are many variables that contribute to the decline of PC sales, including the abundance of tablet and mobile-based devices that have recently hit the market, but most analysts are pointing the finger at Windows 8 as the main culprit.

At its recent developer conference in Las Vegas, HP showcased a slew of Windows 8 products. However, according to HP, Windows 8 isn’t what will boost the PC market – it’s Microsoft’s termination of support for Windows XP in the next year that’ll increase sales. HP wasn’t shy in expressing exactly how the market will shift, going as far as to flash a sign at its presentation reading “Goodbye XP, Hello HP.” HP believes that once users are given the boot from the comfort zone that is Windows XP, they’ll have no other choice but to adopt a new operating system, pushing people into buying Windows 8 machines.

“We think this will bring a big opportunity for HP,” Enrique Lore, senior vice president and general manager of HP’s business PCs, said at the conference. Lore went on to discuss the numbers concerning Windows XP, revealing that 40 to 50 percent of business users still use XP. HP CEO Meg Whitman is expected to take the stage later today, so it’s possible we’ll see more in-depth information regarding HP’s plans to increase PC sales.

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