Microsoft says Windows 10 now on 75 million devices

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft said today that its new Windows 10 software is running on more than 75 million computers, tablets and other devices – in just under a month since the operating system was released.

Analysts say that's a good start, although the company is hoping to get the software installed on a billion devices over the next three years. Microsoft Corp., which is best known for making software for personal computers, is hoping Windows 10 will help it rebuild loyalty among users who are increasingly relying on tablets, smartphones and other devices.

PC sales have been shrinking in recent years and that trend is likely to continue, according to a new forecast from International Data Corp. Analysts at IDC predicted Monday that 2016 will mark the fifth consecutive year of declining PC sales worldwide.

Computer-makers are hoping to get a boost from consumer interest in Windows 10, which manufacturers are making available on new machines being sold this fall. But IDC noted in its report that Microsoft is also offering the new software as a free download for people who want to install it on their existing PCs.