Windows 8: 100 Million Licenses Sold

Microsoft says it has now sold 100 million Windows 8 licenses. That includes licenses shipped with a new tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.

It also includes all upgrades from earlier Windows operating systems, such as Windows Vista and Windows 7.

It took just over six months for Windows 8 to reach the 100 million licenses plateau. That means Windows 8 sales have remained steady since January 2013, when Microsoft announced it had sold 60 million licenses.

Number of Windows 8-based Devices Continues to Grow

Tami Reller, who is Microsoft's chief marketing officer and Windows division chief financial officer, also noted that there were now more than 2,400 different computing devices running some version of the firm's newest OS.

Reller noted that Microsoft is encouraged by the release of so many "new convertible devices and amazing new touch laptops, and all-in-ones" running Windows 8. (Source: pcworld.com)

Reller insists that Microsoft is pleased with Windows 8's adoption rates and sees a bright future for the OS.

"While we realize that change takes time, we feel good about the progress since launch, including what we've been able to accomplish with the ecosystem and customer reaction to the new PCs and tablets that are available now or will soon come to market," Reller said. (Source: windows.com)

SkyDrive, Windows Store Also Performing Well

Microsoft says it's also pleased with the growth of other new platforms. The firm announced that its SkyDrive cloud storage service, which is highly integrated with Windows 8, is now being used by more than a quarter of a billion people worldwide.

The Redmond, Washington-based firm also says its Windows Store has been growing rapidly in size and popularity.

The digital distribution service continues to add new applications all the time, and Microsoft says that more than 250 million apps have been downloaded since Windows Store launched last year.

As for Windows 8, Microsoft is hoping to silence the remaining critics with the release of Windows Blue, which Reller says will be available later this year.