business challenges

As of October 14, Microsoft will issue its final updates and security fixes for Windows 10, prompting business customers to consider extended security updates at a cost that starts at for the first year, escalating to 0 in the second year and 0 in the third. There are approximately 1.4 billion Windows devices globally, with around 550 million used in corporate environments, and nearly half of these are unlikely to meet the end-of-life deadline for upgrading to Windows 11. Currently, 47 to 50 percent of commercial PCs are on Windows 11, with adoption rates nearing 60 percent in the U.S. and 65 percent in the EMEA region. About 20 percent of machines failing to upgrade do not meet Microsoft's hardware requirements. Businesses are prioritizing other budgetary concerns over PC replacements, and the rising average selling prices for PCs have contributed to sluggish sales. Omdia projects a compound annual growth rate of 1.1 percent for the global PC market through 2029. A campaign group has urged Microsoft to extend the life of Windows 10 for businesses, although consumers in the European Economic Area received a temporary reprieve.