Windows 7 will help push sales of computers in Middle East

Dubai: Microsoft's latest software, Windows 7, is expected to boost PC sales in the Middle East, a top official at Microsoft said.

Ali Faramawy, vice-president of Microsoft International and area vice-president of Microsoft Middle East and Africa said, quoting a research report, that 57 per cent of the current enterprise desktops would move towards the Windows 7 platform within the next 12-18 months.

"This is very bullish. If that happens, it would be the first time in the industry," Faramawy said in an interview at Gitex.

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He said that enterprise customers have a contractual agreement that gives them the right to upgrade to the latest release of products, driving up the deployment of the operating system (OS), which is "as strategic as selling in the first place."

An increase in the rate of PC shipments is also projected to play its role in the launch of the new OS.

Triple effect

"We've got sort of a triple effect here, with the Windows 7 introduction, new hardware devices coming up and the holiday season — due to delayed back-to-school. All the indications say that PC shipments are on an upward projection. How much exactly would be hard to tell, but overall, there is a boost in the industry," he said.

The third market that Microsoft is targeting for the first time with its new product is the upgrade market. Windows 7 marks the first OS that does not require higher processing power than that of its predecessor.

"Before, in some cases before, people were not able to upgrade the software because it meant the upgrade of the hardware as well. Now, we can identify an upgrade market, there is an opportunity with existing PCs," Faramawy said, adding that with the demand from the three markets combined gives a "bullish outlook."

While the company has increased its market share in the server segment that includes management systems and virtualisation solutions, it has maintained its market share in software segment.

"We would like to have a better improvement on our fully legalised market share. There is some advancement but not a major breakthrough on that front," he said.

Calculating the impact on the market of its products, Faramawy said their latest indicators show that for every dollar the company makes, there is approximately $12-$13 that is made around that, in hardware and software, in the local economy.

"This increased dependence on our platform is giving more opportunities for local companies and many software and hardware service professionals to flourish," he said.

Timely launch

One wonders whether the launch of Windows 7 was timely. Would individuals and corporations lighten their pockets for the upgrade? Faramawy said that it is an apt product for the current market.

"We brought out Windows 7, to make it part of the solution, not part of the problem. Smart IT infrastructure and applications can help people reduce their costs and save time, and increase productivity and organisational efficiency. If anything, at tough times, you need all your strength and arsenal. That's what we decided to bring out," he said.