Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) had enough envy of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) that its radical changes to the first version of Windows 8 were so drastic for traditional Windows users that it was almost as foreign as switching to a Mac. After consumers have complained and complained, and after Microsoft was largely blamed over Windows 8 for the erosion of global PC sales, now Microsoft is finally going to fix Windows 8 to be more like traditional versions.
One of the first such things that will be happening is that the “Start Button” will return. After testing out Windows 8 personally, this was a total deal-killer for yours truly. Why the design team chose this is a mystery, other than perhaps Microsoft hired people in the beta-test group who ultimately wanted Microsoft to fail.
One issue that Microsoft faces is that the company has known about these irritating issues for a while, yet the free update is not going to be available until later in the year. This puts the risk out there that the already slow PC sales cycle of the summer is going to get pushed out even further. We already have known that updates were coming for a while but now we have more details.
Here is the interesting thing that will seem almost too difficult to believe. Microsoft stock has been among the best DJIA stock performers so far in 2013 with gains of over 32% year to date. Imagine screwing up your main product so bad that you wreck an industry, yet your stock still manages to rally that much.
The new update is supposedly going to utilize Bing. The company has the new Xbox One video game system coming soon as well, so Microsoft needs to get the Windows 8 remedy behind it so that it can refocus on its growth initiatives. Microsoft shares are up 0.15% at $34.93 against a 52-week trading range of $26.26 to $35.27.
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