Windows 8 crosses 40 million licenses sold

Microsoft has sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses since the operating system's launch on October 26, 2012. Microsoft chief financial officer and chief marketing officer Tami Reller revealed the numbers today at the Credit Suisse 2012 Annual Technology Conference.

“The journey is just beginning, but I am pleased to announce today that we have sold 40 million Windows 8 licenses so far,” said Reller, according to a post on the official Windows blog.

Reller did not break those numbers down into new purchases, upgrades, or licenses sold with new computers.

Microsoft also revealed that the number of apps in the Windows Store has doubled since launch. Microsoft research vice president Wes Miller does an independent analysis of the Windows Store and estimates just over 21,000 apps in Store as of November 26, 2012. If the store continues growing by an estimated 500 apps per day, Microsoft could near 40,000 apps by the end of the year. Developers on the Windows Store receive 80 percent of app revenue once their apps cross the $25,000 revenue mark, a milestone Microsoft says a “number of apps” have passed.

Reller is the new boss of the Windows division on the business side, following the departure of Windows president Steven Sinofsky earlier this month. Corporate vice president of program management Julie Larson-Green took over the engineering side of the Windows group, with both executives reporting directly to chief executive officer Steve Ballmer.