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Microsoft is taking the Windows 7 plug off. After 14 January, the 9-year-old laptop and PC operating system will not provide assistance, including security updates, leaving customers vulnerable to cyber security. Microsoft has recommended that Windows 7 clients be upgraded to Windows 10.

As 35% of Asian enterprise PCs are still working on Windows 7, according to Global Data, the British data and Analytics Company, this will provide an enormous boost to the Asian PC market.

Enterprises currently running Windows 7 will either have to update their licenses to Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Enterprise for existing PCs by Volume Licensing or will need to purchase new PCs entirely.

“We anticipate that companies in Asia will offset their needs by buying new pcs. In a slight bump in PC sales by 2020, this will represent the trend Nonetheless, several businesses in the cost-conscious markets of Asia will choose to update their current compatible PCs to Windows 10 more cost-effectively, “said Nishant Singh, Global Data’s Chief Technology Officer and Telecom Data, in a press release.

Studies also show that the market for new computers in Asia amounted to $39.4 billion in 2019, though India contributed around 20%.

Windows 10’s global data market share in Asia currently stands at about 60 per cent. Worldwide, Windows 10’s share was 47.65 per cent, while Windows 7 was 32.74 per cent, according to Netmarketshare in December 2019.

Windows 7 was accompanied by Windows 8 and 8.1, but they never got the same feedback owing to the dramatic changes in the Interface to make the new OS user-friendly for 2-in-1 touchscreen-based laptops. There was also a lot of flak in the original failure of Start Menu.

The global market share with Windows 8.1 was 4.09 per cent in 2019, according to Netmarketshare.

Regrettably for Microsoft, Singh rues, Windows 7 was preceded by Windows 8, which, like Windows Vista, was once again mired in controversy. Many divisive Windows versions have been sandwiched, and it’s no wonder that Windows 7 has been held as long as it does. Several initial confusion over Windows 10 licenses and the Windows-as – a-service platform have prevented companies from moving away from the Windows 7 system.

SMBs in India are also used to use older PCs to save money, in addition to older operating systems. A December study commissioned by Microsoft and performed by TechAisle, a market research firm, found that 43 per cent of SMBs in India still own PCs that are more than four years old and run outdated operating systems. Old PCs are 3.8 times more likely to need maintenance according to the study, resulting in 132 hours of wasted productive time.

“The cost that an organization can save if it loses to its staff on portable computers is not worth saving capital. Mahesh Makhija, partner and Head of New and Emerging Technologies, EY India said.Employees lose weeks of productive time every year owing to outdated, under-powered PCs, which not only slow down the overall speed of work in a business, but also cause considerable discontent among employees.