Windows 8 adoption 5x slower than Windows 7 so far

Windows 8 is being installed by users at a rate 5 times slower than that seen following the launch of predecessor Windows 7, a new report has suggested.

Net Applications’ data monitoring services have spotted that by the end of October, only 0.45 per cent of all PCs were running the latest OS from Microsoft.

Compare that to 2.33 percent by the end of October for Windows 7, and it’s certainly a slower start for WIndows 8.

There’s a discrepancy of four days however between Windows 8’s 26 October 2012 launch and Windows 7’s 22 October 2009 launch, though that’s not reason enough for such a substantial difference in sales.

Even with the four day discrepancy aside, there’s perhaps a simpler explanation as to why Windows 8 is off to a slower start. People really like Windows 7, and are unlikely to be in a rush to change it. Compare that to how anxious people were to upgrade to Windows 7 from the disastrous Vista or ageing Windows XP.

There’s also the new “Metro” Windows UI that’s been popped into Windows 8, which may be discouraging some casual users from upgrading for fear of having to learn new software once again.

Still, with Windows 8 to have a lifespan of years rather than months, expect this number to steadily, comfortably rise.