Microsoft Update Deadline—New Windows Security Nightmare Is Slowly Coming True Hallie Frederick | usagoldmines.com

With the deadline approaching, this nightmare for Home windows customers is turning into actual.

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There’s now precisely one yr to run till Home windows 10’s end-of life turns into actuality, with 900 million users nonetheless unable or unwilling to make the transfer to Home windows 11. Absent an unlikely Microsoft u-turn on Home windows 11 {hardware} necessities, there’s a nightmare state of affairs the place a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of customers lose entry to assist.

And that nightmare is slowly turning into ever extra actual. For the Home windows 11 refresh to hit its targets, an unlimited variety of new PCs would should be bought. However IDC has simply reported that “worldwide shipments of conventional PCs dipped 2.4% year-over-year (YoY) to 68.8 million models, in the course of the third quarter of 2024 (3Q24).”

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In response to Gartner, which reported a barely decrease 1.3% decline, “the demand for the Home windows PC refresh pushed by the tip of Home windows 10 assist in 2025 didn’t totally decide up in the course of the third quarter, partly as a consequence of financial challenges in sure areas,” albeit it nonetheless forecasts “extra sturdy development in 2025.”

Canalys reported modest third-quarter development of 1.3%, with the necessity for robust development in 2025 “as a big proportion of the Home windows PC put in base nonetheless must be refreshed earlier than the tip of lifetime of Home windows 10 in October 2025.”

However with round 60 million models shipped within the quarter and people 900 million WIndows 10 PCs nonetheless out within the subject, the maths is turning into problematic. Whereas Canalys has estimated that round 240 million PCs at present in use should not technically able to operating Home windows 11, nearly all of new PC gross sales should not changing legacy Home windows 1o gadgets with out the prerequisite TPM 2.0. Within the final 12-months, solely 130 million Home windows 10 customers switched to Home windows 11 in complete.

Home windows 11 gradual development

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The trade analysts name out the enterprise refresh because the possible driver of the 2025 surge, with IDC reporting that “many companies have begun to refresh their PCs in preparation for the tip of assist for Home windows 10.” Sarcastically, enterprise customers are additionally extra more likely to take up Microsoft’s paid, prolonged assist choices. It’s the house customers unwilling or unable to pay for both a refresh or a assist contract that can forge essentially the most worrying assist problem come October subsequent yr.

Past the Home windows 11 refresh crucial, the opposite problem is the dearth of demand for brand new Co-pilot PCs, with all the excitement in Microsoft’s current up to date being AI-related. “These magical AI PC packing containers have been supposed to fireplace up purchaser enthusiasm and spur the considerably listless marketplace for desktop and laptop computer techniques into important development territory,” The Register commented, “however that does not look like taking place.”

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Placing apart the Home windows 10 diehards, there’s additionally the no small variety of customers who’re on even older OS variations than that. Microsoft has suggested that these 50 million Windows users buy new hardware to upgrade, which prompted some stark headlines. “Can’t improve your PC to Home windows 11? Purchase a brand new one, is Microsoft’s laughable answer,” penned TechRadar.

The truth is that 900 million Home windows 10 customers should not instantly going to maneuver within the subsequent 12-months, and most of the 300 million Home windows 10 (and older OS) customers with incompatible {hardware} should not those who will drive 2025’s PC shopping for surge. However they’re those who’re most probably to be out of assist subsequent yr, together with others Home windows 10 customers merely unwilling to maneuver. The extent of this assist nightmare stays to be seen, but it surely now positively appears to be coming.