Windows 10 now has 500 million users, but it’s well short of initial hopes

Microsoft has confirmed there are now 500 million active Windows 10 machines.

Microsoft announced the landmark figure, just before the Build 2017 developer’s conference kicked off in Seattle, Washington, on Wednesday.

The company has gained an additional 100 million users in the last eight months. However, Microsoft had initially set ambitious target of 1 billion installs by the start of the 2018 financial year.

That target was revised in July last year and reports from The Verge say Microsoft is now aiming for 575m by the end of September.

A lot will depend on the initial success of the Windows 10 S devices, which arrive this summer and promise to open Windows 10 up to new markets.

During the initial forays at Build, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella touted the 500 million figure to developers in attendance.

Given Windows 10 S is locked to the Windows Store, the company will need third-party devs to jump aboard in greater numbers.

Through the first hour or so of Microsoft Build there has been very little in the way of consumer-centric news and lots on cloud tools for developers.

We’re following the keynote live and will bring you the biggest news on Windows 10, Surface and Cortana if and when anything is announced.

Sоurсе: trustedreviews.com