'Windows 7 is a pivotal moment for Microsoft'

"Windows 7 represents a pivotal moment for Microsoft." Rather than a Microsoft rival or industry analyst, that declaration is according to the corporation's own UK Managing Director Ashley Highfield.

The ex-BBC man was speaking at the UK launch of Windows 7 in London and, as well as talking up confidence in the new operating system, he was also keen to stress that the OS has been developed largely using feedback from consumers.

"Windows 7 has been built by us sure, but Windows 7 has been designed by you [the public]," said Highfield. "We listened and listened and we've got Windows 7. It's got improvements on every level...many of which are just about making things simpler."

• Check out our complete Windows 7 coverage

The beta download numbers announced were interesting - 8 million people got hold of the beta officially, but Microsoft gleefully admitted that a further 7 million downloaded it via other means, proving vast demand. A million users contributed by sending feedback to the corporation.

PC World's Category Director Jeremy Fennell was also on hand to preview sales but he summed up Microsoft's mood in a sentence; "because of the pre-sale [this Summer's £50 Home Premium offer] we've sold more copies of Windows 7 than we did of Windows Vista in the whole of the first year."

CASHBACK OFFER: PC World's Category Director Jeremy Fennell

Fennell added that there was a "high level of awareness – [consumers are] pretty much aware that it's coming this month if not tomorrow."

PC World also cited figures showing that 60 per cent of customers have delayed their purchase until after the release of the OS. 20 per cent of those questioned said they would be buying new hardware to run Windows 7, while 15 per cent said they would upgrade their current hardware.

At the launch, PC World also announced a cashback scheme with £100 off new hardware if you trade in an old machine.

• How will Windows 7 sell?

But it wasn't quite all tail-wagging. Showing some humility, Highfield admitted that Microsoft's range of services could be described as "slightly patchy over the last few years" before following on to herald Windows 7 as "a new dawn in Microsoft's relationship with its consumer."

Tweaking the user interface

Also at the launch, Sky was on hand to announce a partnership to add Sky Player functionality to Windows Media Center . When pressed whether the partnership was the first of many, Highfield said the move was "indicative of the willingness by Microsoft" to broaden its horizons.

• Hands on: Sky Player on Windows Media Center

"We see the PC as a complementary device for consuming all media alongside the TV," he added, before referring back to Microsoft's "three screens and a cloud" vision for consumers, encompassing PC, TV, phone and the web.