Microsoft Hosts Shareholder Meeting; Windows Sales “Fantastic”

Speaking Thursday at the company’s annual meeting, Ballmer said Windows 7 sales are “fantastic,” but provided no numbers to support his claim.   The Wall Street Journal estimates that Microsoft has sold 40 million copies sold since the new operating system’s Oct. 22 release.

“Windows 7 is the simply best PC operating system we have ever built,” Ballmer said. “It enables people to do more of what they want to do more easily and more quickly, and customers are responding.”

PC Sales Spike by 40% During Windows 7 Launch

According to NPD sales data, the launch of Windows 7 triggered a 40% increase in sales as compared to the same week the previous year.

Morgan Stanley analyst Katheryn Hubert declined to predict whether or not the sales spike is evidence of a major trend or simply a temporary burst as those who had waited for Windows 7 buy their new systems. Microsoft’s own CEO believes the OS will have little impact in the long term and that most will simply get Windows 7 in the same time it normally takes them to replace a given PC.

Here at the Microsoft Observer, we believe that while not an early predictor of any success of the Windows 7 product, the spike suggests that consumers may think better of the updated operating system compared to Windows Vista.