Why did an OS that was a big step forward for Microsoft fail to get any traction?
Lets see what made Windows 8 a no-go product for many users and why it ultimately failed.
What Was Windows 8?
Released in 2012, Windows 8 was Microsofts follow-up to Windows 7.
Windows 8 marked a departure from the traditional Windows UI by emphasizing touch-friendly interface elements like a Start Screen.
But, as we now know, Windows 8 fell flat on its face.
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Why Did Windows 8 Fail?
Windows 8s failure was a result of an amalgamation of design and usability issues.
Lack of a Start Menu
Start Menu is one of the staple Windows features.
Every Windows version starting with Windows 95 has a Start Menu except Windows 8.
With Windows 8, Microsoft removed the Start Menu and replaced it with a touch-friendly Start Screen.
As you might expect, the removal of the Start Menu didnt sit well with the users.
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For starters, users knewhow to use the Start Menu.
Furthermore, there was also no Start Button on Windows 8, resulting in a confusing UI design.
Furthermore, Windows 8 Start Screen had a UI that was dominated by Live Tiles.
Live Tiles were app shortcuts that were implemented into Windows 8 to make the desktop OS more touch-friendly.
Unfortunately, Live Tiles were never popular, and developers also didnt support the feature all that much.
Similarly, Live Tiles were also shelved in Windows 11.
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For instance, the Metro UI in Windows 8 didnt resonate with everyone.
As a result, not many people upgraded.
The bet didnt pay off and Windows 8 could never come close to repeating the success of Windows 7.
For instance, years after introducing Edge,Internet Explorer was still hanging around in Windows up until 2022.
Even Windows 11, Microsofts next-generation OS built for modern audiences, still has elements from the 90s.
The problem of keeping legacy parts of Windows around was readily apparent in Windows 8.
The OS had a curious and often distasteful mix of old and new UI elements.
But Windows 8 failed at both segments of the market.
So many users often found navigating/searching for specific features hard.
That said, Microsoft didnt abandon all of its Windows 8 ideas.
It not only brought the much-loved UI back but also got even more useful features.
