End of Windows 10 support will trigger wave of upgrades, Westcoast says
A withdrawal of support for Windows 10 is likely to trigger a rush to upgrade systems before the deadline, the UK’s biggest IT supplier has said as it posted a jump in sales.
The Windows 10 operating system, which was introduced by Microsoft in July 2015, will no longer be supported from October 14 2025 in a move aimed at encouraging users to switch to newer systems.
That is likely to lead to a flurry of businesses upgrading their systems in the weeks leading up to the deadline, with as many as 400,000 devices expected to be upgraded before the end of the year, according to IT supplier Westcoast.
“While the arrival of Windows 11 in late 2021 did not encourage a significant uplift in PC sales, Microsoft’s decision to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025 is likely to stimulate customers to upgrade their systems,” Westcoast said, adding that it was “well positioned to capitalise on this wave.”
(IT) supply and demand
It comes as Westcoast posted a 5.7 per cent rise in sales to £3.3bn in 2024, while pre-tax profits slipped 7 per cent to £39.8m during the year.
The Reading-based business was acquired by Swiss firm Also last year in a deal which made the combined entity Europe’s largest IT supplier, with a total turnover in excess of £12bn.
Westcoast founder Joe Hermani, thought to be among the richest British tech entrepreneurs in the UK with a net worth of more than half a billion pounds, became a major shareholder in Also as part of the deal.
Westcoast said growing business interest in artificial intelligence could be behind the next wave in IT spend.
“Looking ahead, generative AI could shift spending behaviours in IT upgrades, ultimately pushing up unit prices and demand,” Westcoast said.
“However, we have yet to see the full impact of this, as most organizations are still analyzing how to integrate this technology into their operations.”