Apple sees potential in Windows 7 launch

By Jake Widman
Saturday, 17 October 2009 02:12

IT Industry - Strategy

While Microsoft is preparing a promotional blitz for the October 22 launch of Windows 7, Apple is also planning to target potential upgraders to see if it can turn them into switchers instead.

Next Thursday's release of Windows 7 is attracting a lot of attention, as early reviewers -- even known Mac lovers -- give it high marks, and Microsoft hopes it puts the Vista nightmare in the rearview mirror.

To that end, Redmond has been rolling out promotions ranging from the cute to the unintentionally funny to the at least allegedly funny .

But while Microsoft sees huge potential in Windows 7, Apple sees an opportunity as well.

Upgrading to Windows 7 from previous versions of Windows is a confusing prospect, as illustrated in this Microsoft-prepared chart the company sent the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg.

Furthermore, the upgrade path from still-popular Windows XP requires a complete wipe of the hard drive and reinstallation of all programs, files, and user data. (The Windows 7 install disc does provide an Easy Transfer utility to smooth that process.) The upgrade from XP is so daunting that a PC World writer has suggested that users just skip it and buy a new computer instead.

Even Microsoft thinks that approach will be popular. "For the vast majority of people that get Windows 7, most will move to new hardware," says Parri Munsell, Microsoft's director for consumer product management. "For the vast majority of people that get Windows 7, most will move to new hardware," Microsoft director for  consumer product management Parri Munsell told Business Week.

Move to new hardware? Buy a new computer? That kind of advice is music to Apple's ears.

For more on how Apple plans to greet Windows 7, see Page 2.