Windows 10: 180 days later…

What a great six months it has been since the launch of Windows 10
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Our fans in China celebrating the launch of Windows 10 in July 2015

Yusuf Medhi, Corporate Vice President, Windows and Devices Group, shared earlier this month that Windows 10 is now on 200 million devices and is on the fastest growth trajectory of any version of Windows ever – outpacing even Windows 7 by nearly 140 percent.

The vote of confidence our customers (that’s you!) have given us is incredible and we’re glad that you’ve been enjoying your experience with Windows 10.

In fact, you’ve been busy on your Windows devices. Here are some quick fun facts on what people have been doing on Windows 10:

  • Over 44.5 billion minutes spent on Microsoft Edge across Windows 10 devices in December alone
  • Over 2.5 billion questions asked of Cortana since launch
  • Gamers have spent over 4 billion hours playing PC games on Windows 10 and have streamed more than 6.6 million hours of Xbox One games onto their PCs
Doing great things with Windows 10 and Windows 10 Devices

Technology has impacted the way we work and play, and it is increasingly integrated in our daily lives. Our PCs, tablets and smartphones are no longer futuristic pieces of technology; they’re devices that most of us can no longer live without. Technology is not just a mean of communication or the way we work; technology is a tool to empower change.

In Asia and the Pacific, we’re constantly learning about fans who are doing great things with Windows 10 and Windows 10 devices. We’re inspired by the way these individuals leverage Microsoft technologies to make a difference in their lives, and in turn influence how we build and develop Windows 10 to be fast, familiar and secure for the millions of us who are using the new operating system today.

Watch Annie and William, two of our Windows Insiders from Australia, share their story here
Watch Annie and William, two of our Windows Insiders from Australia, share their story here

For example, Annie, in her 60s, and William, 14, are two Australians who are poles apart. She has most likely never heard of his favourite musical act (YouTube sensation Monstercat), and the games he plays online are a bit more fast-paced than she’s used to (she keeps her mind sharp with crossword puzzles). Nevertheless, Windows serves them both equally.

On Windows 10, Annie shares: “It’s so innovative, it embraces everything. And it’s quite easy to understand once you’ve learned it,” Annie relies heavily on Windows 10 and Skype to connect with her boyfriend Tim, whom she had reconnected after years apart since finding him on Facebook.

Both Annie and Tim are in the Windows Insiders program. In fact, Tim is one of the youngest in the program. “I joined because I like testing out new stuff; I had looked online and seen photos of Windows 10, and it looked so much better than Windows 8.1,” he reasons. “When I heard about the Xbox app, that’s what drove me to join, it was like opening up a cool new toy.”

There are now more Windows Insiders in Asia than ever before, providing real-world feedback on Windows 10 and pushing us toward the goal of making Windows 10 the best Windows, ever.

W10 22 million

Businesses are also embracing Windows 10. More than 22 million devices are now running the operating system across enterprise and education customers. We’ve seen great uptake in Asia, and companies, whether small, medium or large, are enthusiastic about their migration to the new operating system to keep up with the modern business environment.

One early adopter is Makita Australia, an organization that sells power tools and has more than 1000 product lines. Makita’s relentless passion and goal in becoming the best has been realized through many factors, one of the most important of which is their embrace of technology to stay at the cutting edge of innovation.

When the company was gearing up for a major IT upgrade in 2015, Shaun Adams, Assistant IT Manager, Makita Australia, took a good look at the market and decided that “Microsoft technologies are best in class”.

Adams was particularly impressed with the security that comes with Windows 10, especially Windows Hello, which uses biometrics rather than passwords. Embracing the changes that will come along with such initiatives, Makita is expecting exciting times in the year ahead.

Wowing Asia with Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book

In the last couple of months, we’ve rolled out Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book in 10 markets across Asia. This month, we’ve also announced the expansion of Surface Book in additional Asian markets, including China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and expansion of channels in Australia.

Since the unveil, Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book has received ardent attention from fans and consumers alike, and the products have made many “Best in 2015” lists, including a “Best Windows Tablet” nomination in Singapore’s leading national newspaper, The Straits Times; a “Most Productive device in 2015” nomination by Australia’s News.com.au; and the list of “Top Favourite Products of 2015” by Australia’s Tech Guide. Additionally, both the Surface Pro 4 and Office 2016 obtained the “2015 Golden Award of Technology Excellence” in the Notebook and Business Application categories. Beating out the competition of 187 other nominations, Microsoft proved its success in bringing outstanding products to the public.

Here’s a recap of what went round the local launches in Asia:

What’s Next for Windows 10 in Asia?

While it’s been an amazing past 6 months for us, we’re not slowing down our commitment to deliver a great experience to you. Here are some Windows 10-related milestones you can look forward to in the coming months:

  • New Windows 10 devices from CES 2016: At the Consumer Electronics Show this year, we were proud to see our OEM partners unveil great new devices that light up the Windows 10 experiences with features such as Windows Hello, Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Continuum and more. Take a look at this blog post for some of the upcoming devices that you can look forward to in the coming months!
  • The Windows Insider Program is still going strong: Build 11099 has just been released, focusing on structural improvements to OneCore, which is the shared core of Windows across devices.
  • There will be even more Universal Apps coming your way: Netflix, Uber, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, Kobo and Box are just a few that you can enjoy right now.
  • …and we look forward to more empowering stories from Windows 10 fans and users in the region!

Thank you for all your support, and we look forward to more great moments with Windows 10 in 2016!

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