Microsoft Corp. said on Monday that retail and new PC sales of Windows XP, its flagship operating system, have grown to more than 210 million copies since the product was launched two and a half years ago.
The world's largest software maker also unveiled on Monday the latest version of its anti-piracy software for digital files, music and movies, which it said would work with a wider class of online services and devices.
As Microsoft prepares to add more features to Windows before its next major upgrade, the numbers showed that adoption of the latest Windows version was accelerating, with sales averaging about 10 million per month in the last nine months.
Last July, Microsoft said it had sold 130 million copies of Windows XP in stores, and has averaged sales of about 6 million per month via new personal computers. The product was launched in October 2001.
The latest number reflected the long-awaited recovery in personal computer sales, Microsoft said. "The vast majority of new licenses of the 210 million shipped on new PCs," said Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan.
Sullivan claimed that the actual number of computers using Windows XP was much higher, since it doesn't include software loaded onto machines under corporate licensing agreements, which typically are not closely tracked since they are sold under volume licensing agreements.
Microsoft is preparing an update to Windows XP, called Service Pack 2, aimed at improving the security and reliability of the operating system. That will be available for free to Windows XP users.
Microsoft unveiled its latest digital rights management (DRM) software aimed at allowing subscription-based, or on-demand digital music and videos, to be played on a wider variety of hardware such as portable audio devices, personal digital assistants and network devices that connect to personal computers in homes to play digital content.
Online subscription providers have traditionally placed tight controls on their content due to concerns over piracy by not allowing PC users to download or copy digital music or video files onto other devices.
In most scenarios, only digital content that is purchased outright can be copied onto portable devices, such as music downloaded from Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes digital jukebox for its iPod digital music player.
Users of subscription services, such as those from Walt Disney Co., AOL and MovieLink that typically charge a set fee to view or listen to content online, have long complained that such restrictions make it difficult to access content on other devices, like a stereo or television.
Microsoft said those providers will now support its latest DRM software, opening up their content to wider use.
A number of hardware makers, including Dell Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., will support Microsoft's DRM software, designed to work with Windows and the Windows Media Player.
The announcement came at the start of Microsoft's annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, a gathering of hardware makers and engineers that create the various hardware that work with Windows and Windows-related software.
At the show, Microsoft was expected to give an update on the timing of the release of its next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn.
The world's largest software maker also unveiled on Monday the latest version of its anti-piracy software for digital files, music and movies, which it said would work with a wider class of online services and devices.
As Microsoft prepares to add more features to Windows before its next major upgrade, the numbers showed that adoption of the latest Windows version was accelerating, with sales averaging about 10 million per month in the last nine months.
Last July, Microsoft said it had sold 130 million copies of Windows XP in stores, and has averaged sales of about 6 million per month via new personal computers. The product was launched in October 2001.
The latest number reflected the long-awaited recovery in personal computer sales, Microsoft said. "The vast majority of new licenses of the 210 million shipped on new PCs," said Windows lead product manager Greg Sullivan.
Sullivan claimed that the actual number of computers using Windows XP was much higher, since it doesn't include software loaded onto machines under corporate licensing agreements, which typically are not closely tracked since they are sold under volume licensing agreements.
Microsoft is preparing an update to Windows XP, called Service Pack 2, aimed at improving the security and reliability of the operating system. That will be available for free to Windows XP users.
Microsoft unveiled its latest digital rights management (DRM) software aimed at allowing subscription-based, or on-demand digital music and videos, to be played on a wider variety of hardware such as portable audio devices, personal digital assistants and network devices that connect to personal computers in homes to play digital content.
Online subscription providers have traditionally placed tight controls on their content due to concerns over piracy by not allowing PC users to download or copy digital music or video files onto other devices.
In most scenarios, only digital content that is purchased outright can be copied onto portable devices, such as music downloaded from Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes digital jukebox for its iPod digital music player.
Users of subscription services, such as those from Walt Disney Co., AOL and MovieLink that typically charge a set fee to view or listen to content online, have long complained that such restrictions make it difficult to access content on other devices, like a stereo or television.
Microsoft said those providers will now support its latest DRM software, opening up their content to wider use.
A number of hardware makers, including Dell Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., will support Microsoft's DRM software, designed to work with Windows and the Windows Media Player.
The announcement came at the start of Microsoft's annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, a gathering of hardware makers and engineers that create the various hardware that work with Windows and Windows-related software.
At the show, Microsoft was expected to give an update on the timing of the release of its next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn.
