"We have discontinued the bridge to the PC market as Windows 8 will be a platform across a broad set a form factors," Koefoed claimed.

But that shift will be slow, said Alan Krans, an analyst with Technology Business Research.

"High growth from the operating system will not initially be apparent," Krans wrote in a note to clients yesterday. "Success and continued use of prior operating systems, including Windows XP and Windows 7, will cause a delay in initial adoption of Windows 8 in enterprises. Widespread adoption within enterprise customers will likely come within the first two years on the market as Windows 7 matures."

Microsoft's best shot at boosting Windows sales, Krans continued, will be in the consumer market. "Where Microsoft will see the largest near-term growth will be in the consumer space, with mobile device and tablet users being the first to heavily adopt the operating system," Krans said.

The other money-making divisions of Microsoft -- Business, which handles the Office suite, and Server and Tools -- again beat Windows in sales last quarter.