Windows XP remains dominant in Japan

XP still dominates Japan

(Credit: What Japan Thinks)

Vista launched in Japan just over 19 months ago. Coincidentally, I was in Tokyo at the time and wrote about the launch on my old blog where I noted a serious advertising blitz (along with every electronic store breaking the release date by a full week.)

Nearly two years later, Vista has 24 percent of the market. Since we don't know what the expectations were, it's hard to know if this is good or bad. I suspect it's not great based on the survey data that shows 90 percent of those surveyed said they came to use Vista because it was bundled with a new PC.

Based on a previous survey from March of 2007 which showed XP with 78 percent of the market and other Windows version with about 14 percent, it looks like Vista hasn't so much replaced XP as it has the legacy Windows versions in Japan.

[lostviking]

Again MS will use the "forced" install of Vista to proclaim their dominance. Forgetting that most of us immediately (or within the first week, tried it...UUUGGGHHH) nuked it and installed something that works like Ubuntu or even XP.

[Mr. Dee]

@lostviking:
Nonsense. Microsoft has always preloaded the latest version of Windows with new PC's as soon as it hit the market. You are talking like this is something new since the release of Vista. I remember PC's available with XP from September of 2001 and the retail box copy launch wasn't until around November of that year. Things have also changed since the release of XP, the technology is more mature. Its not like in the past where developers were aiming to improve their software and consumers craving for the latest improvements. XP pretty much bridged that gap. Vista remains a hard sell to many because its not revolutionary like XP was in terms of new paradigms in operating system stability and ease of use. Vista actually reintroduced new problems in areas such as compatibility which XP handled well, but for a very good reason - 'security'. Customers don't realize or don't seem to accept this. Thats why Microsoft is focusing on compatibility with Windows 7 to reintroduce the ease of use and compatibility experiences that Windows XP brought to market. Still, Vista's market share is admirable and will continue to grow. But XP had a long life span, especially post Vista, look at XP Home still being supported on certain systems until 2010. Microsoft is their own monster, but its not killing them.

[Varsys]

I think it will take a couple of years to infiltrate world markets. There are no obvious reasons for users to switch to Vista, so they will get it it when the time comes to buy a new computer.

Ed Ver
http://www.varsys.com