Windows 10's China launch taps local firm clout, brainpower

BEIJING - The latest Windows operating system (OS) launched on Wednesday will cater increasingly to Chinese users as Microsoft seeks to reconnect with consumers in the world's largest PC and mobile device market, the company's executive vice president Harry Shum said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Windows 10 will run across all device types from personal computers (PC) and mobile phones to Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices.

The new operating system will be the last of its kind but will receive constant updates in the future.

"I think the new Windows could look a lot different in China compared to those for other markets as we work to understand and meet the unique needs of Chinese users through several updates going forward," Shum said.

While the Redmond, Washington-based firm extended a limited time offer for free upgrades to the consumer version of Windows 10 from Windows 8 and 7, it has teamed up with a number of Chinese Internet firms and hardware makers, including Tencent, Qihoo 360 and Lenovo, to help promote the new OS to Chinese consumers.

Shum said enlisting the help of influential Chinese tech firms is an unique strategy Microsoft has used to promote Windows 10 in China, where more than 30 percent of PCs still runs on Windows XP, the more-than-a-decade-old OS the company has stopped providing support for, compared with 12 percent worldwide, according to data compiled by StatCounter and NetMarketShare.

Meanwhile, Windows 8 and 8.1 have also seen a slower uptake in China than other parts of the worldwide, underscoring the challenge the company faces in persuading Chinese consumers to adopt newer versions.

Yet Microsoft thinks the help from domestic partners will make that push easier.

"These Chinese firms have forged very close relationship with users here. Tencent's QQ boasts 800 million users, Qihoo 360's anti-virus software have been installed on tens of millions of PCs. Windows 10 can leverage their closer ties with users to reach out more consumers," Shum said.

Microsoft previously said it aims to have 1 billion devices running Windows 10 in two to three years but didn't disclose country specific numbers.

China also boasts the world's second largest Windows Insider community after the United States. These insiders, a group of tech-savvy volunteers that sign up with Microsoft, provided feedback on a preview version of Windows 10 prior to its release.