The $70 Billion Vista Opportunity

Microsoft hired the analysts at IDC to do an economic impact of Windows Vista. We already knew it was going to be big, but IDC has formulas and spreadsheets and models for this sort of thing. What IDC found: U.S.-based Microsoft partners should sell about $70 billion in products and services revolving around Windows Vista in 2007. That's above and beyond actual Vista license revenue that goes straight back to Microsoft.

Another finding of the survey: Those partners are investing about $10 billion to get their solutions and services ready for Vista. IDC estimates there will be about 100,000 new U.S. jobs as a result of Vista in 2007.

One other tidbit: IDC estimates that for every $1 spent on Vista, customers spend another $18 on IT. Sounds good for the channel, but those numbers wouldn't make me very happy if I were a CIO. According to IDC, the $18 breaks down to $9.75 on hardware, $4.60 on software and $3.65 on services.

Click here to read the RCPmag.com news article on the study, which includes a link to the full, 14-page PDF document from IDC.

Do you feel like Microsoft has done its part to get you in the channel ready to reap this windfall? I'd like to hear your thoughts at sbekker@rcpmag.com.

Posted by Scott Bekker on December 12, 2006 at 11:57 AM