When Microsoft's beloved Windows 10 reached its end-of-life on October 14 , it created an opportunity for Windows 11 to take center stage in PC sales. However, according to Dell, one of the largest PC manufacturers, the transition has been slower than expected. During a recent Q3 earnings call, COO Jeffrey Clarke remarked, "We have not completed the Windows 11 transition. In fact, if you were to look at it relative to the previous OS end of support, we are 10-12 points behind where we were with the previous generation." This indicates that PC industry sales have been relatively stagnant, and clients aren't updating their PCs as much as anticipated.

When Windows 10 reached its end of life, approximately 500 million PCs were unable to upgrade to Windows 11. At the same time, Extended Security Updates (ESU) are intended to ease the transition, not serve as a permanent solution. Through Microsoft's ESU program, eligible machines can continue to receive critical and important security patches for a limited time after support ends. Enrollment rules, pricing, and eligibility vary by region and whether the user is a consumer or an organization, and the program excludes new features and non-security fixes. According to Dell's COO, about 500 million additional PCs can transition to Windows 11 without needing a hardware update.