Windows 7 Increases PC Demand

According to Acer, the #2 PC maker behind HP, Windows 7 is driving demand for new PC’s this holiday season. That is good news for retailers, for PC makers, and for Microsoft.

Initial reports after the launch of Windows 7 were quick to note that Windows 7 did not seem to be contributing to actual PC sales, but those numbers were largely a factor of timing. With the holidays–and Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals–right around the corner, the initial Windows 7 sales were software upgrades but those looking for new systems held out for the bargains.

Now, only a month after its official release, Windows 7 has captured as much market share as all of Mac OS X combined and retailers are beginning to report stronger PC sales. Thus far, though, Windows 7 has been eating Windows Vista market share and only nibbling at Windows XP. For Windows 7 to be a true success it has to surpass Windows XP as the dominant desktop operating system.