Windows 8 Upgrade Failing to Excite Masses, Poll Shows

According to a new poll taken by the Associated Press and Gfk, a majority of U.S. adults haven't even heard of Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 8. This is a stark contrast to the OS before it, Windows 7, that was anxiously anticipated by users wanting to get away from Windows Vista.

The phone survey of nearly 1,200 people found 52 percent hadn't even heard of Windows 8 leading up to Friday's release of the redesigned software.

Unlike the majority of users that felt 7 was an upgrade from Vista, only 35 percent of people surveyed felt Windows 8 was an improvement over Windows 7.

Microsoft's eighth major software offering features the new style layout, formerly dubbed Metro — allowing more intuitive use on tablets and touchscreens. Another dramatic shift along with Windows 8 is the release of Microsoft's Surface tablet. While typically letting hardware manufacturers like Dell or HP handle dirty work of crafting a PC, Microsoft has decided to take matters into its own hands this time around.

While a less enthusiastic user base is partly to blame, another issue may be the dominance of smartphones. Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems are most of what users see when browsing the web, using email, etc. In comparison, 15% of users upgraded to iOS 6 when released. In just five days, one fifth of iDevice users were on the newest OS.