Windows 8 has been out for a few months now, and the overhauled operating system hasn't done much to boost confidence in Microsoft. At this point, it's getting blamed for pretty much everything wrong with the PC market today.
During the first quarter of 2013, PC shipments were down a whopping 14 percent compared to the same time period last year, according to the research firm IDC. That's the biggest drop IDC has ever recorded in its entire 20-year history, and it generally blames Microsoft and Windows 8.
Another firm, Gartner, slotted the decline in at 11 percent. Either way you slice it, the numbers aren't good.
"It's brutal," said Bob O'Donnell of IDC to Computer World. "These are disastrous numbers. Huge. Not only has Windows 8 not helped, but it's actually hurt PC shipments."
O'Donnell added that the touch-based interface for the Metro UI hasn't clicked with shoppers looking for a PC, and that the Desktop mode doesn't even live up to standards since it removed the "Start" button.
"The costs associated with touch PCs have made PCs a less attractive alternative to dedicated tablets and other competitive devices," O'Donnell said. "Microsoft is going to have to make some very tough decisions moving forward if they want to help reinvigorate the PC market."
O'Donnell's IDC colleague Jay Chou agreed that Windows 8 is the primary reason for the decline in PC sales.
"Users are finding Windows 8 to offer a compromised experience that doesn't excel either as a new mobile interface or in a classic desktop interface," he said in the same statement. "The result is that many consumers are worried about upgrading to Windows 8."
While analysts continue to bash Windows 8, it's important to keep in mind that the general consumer trend doesn't favor PCs in the first place. More people are moving towards tablets, while others simply don't need to upgrade their PC if they're finding their one-or-two-year-old computer still getting the job done.
