Windows is dead, long live Windows

This article appeared in the September issue of CRN magazine as part of the main feature "Signs of life".

Theo Kristoris is confident that the reason sales of his own-brand Leader Systems PCs are increasing is down to the end of Windows XP and the acceptance of Windows 8.1.

“Definitely, that’s what we’re seeing. The end of XP is forcing corporates to upgrade their PCs,” Kristoris says. “The feedback from the channel is that as tablet use increases, people feel there’s more of a need for an input device and they can’t do enough on a desktop.”

And while he has seen PC sales lift 10 to 15 percent on the same time a year ago, Kristoris is also bullish on the rise of all-in-one PCs – a segment that was growing even before XP ended, he says. “To be honest, I can’t really give a reason why it’s taken off, but we’ve definitely seen a spike.”

The South Australian builder makes PCs, all-in-ones and NUCs under its own Leader brand. Its ruggedised two-in-one tablet is popular in schools, and sales of Next Unit of Computing (NUC) devices as desktop replacements are also taking off, Kristoris says.

“For schools that are looking to continue with desktop solutions, they like the NUC because it can be mounted somewhere or on the back of the monitor and it’s low power. Small businesses, corporates and education is where we see the NUC taking off; we haven’t seen them take off in the consumer market.”

The opportunity for the next year is in retiring old Windows machines, he says: “I see it continuing to grow but maybe not at those high levels of 10 to 15 percent. We’re in for six months of really good times from last April, and from May next year that may drop off, but I still see growth year-on-year.”