Microsoft: Within 6 months 19% of PCs in Romania will have Windows 7

Moreover, regarding the sales of the new operating system, the official’s estimates are optimistic, as the company launched a campaign in partnership with Metro, Real, Carrefour, Cora, Domo, Flanco, Depozitul de Calculatoare, Asus, Acer, HP, and Lenovo, for selling PCs with the preinstalled operating system. “We estimate that within three-six months, over 19 percent of the computers in Romania will have Windows 7. We would like more than 60 percent of the sold systems to have Windows installed in the retail sector, and I refer here to the average for the entire current financial year,” Tatomir indicated.

According to the CEO, the new operating system and the campaign in the retail sector will boost deliveries in the consumer segment, which now generate about 15-20 percent of sales. But it is small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that yield the largest revenues, with a 20-30 percent share of total net sales. Changes will also occur in terms of the share of product types in total sales. Thus, if the original equipment manufacturer segment (local producers selling PCs with preinstalled Microsoft licenses), had a share of 10-15 percent, down year-on-year, sales are expected to bounce back as of 1 January, according to Tatomir. In 2009, the decline was slowed by higher sales on the corporate software segment, as companies invested in cost-cutting solutions.

The business with the state, whose share of total net sales was of nearly 15 percent last year, is also expected to be influenced by the launch of the new product. “We hope to raise this percentage at the end of the current financial year,” Tatomir added.