While the new and completely revamped User Interface (UI) 'Metro' might hinder some businesses to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8, it will most likely allow Microsoft to increase their share in the Tablet and Smartphone market.
IDC research director for mobile connected devices Tom Mainelli says that Windows tablets will quadruple their market share from 1% to 4% by the end of the year. But Apple and Google will still remain leaders, with Apple covering about 60% of the market.
The biggest change from Windows 7 to the new Operation System is that it focuses on integrating the best aspects of tablets and smartphones. Namely a touch screen where applications are selected via tiles and not by going through the Start Menu bar, a faster browser and cloud storage links.
The big advantage of Windows 8 for Tablets and Smartphones is, however, also an obstacle for some businesses. Since the new Metro UI is default home screen and there is no option of automatically switching back to the old "familiar" startup screen, several businesses say that they hesitate switching to Windows 8 because all employees would have to learn how to use Metro first, resulting in high cost compared to little improvement.
