New survey says half of Windows 10 users have had problems

Microsoft might have another consumer reports battle on its hands as the UK consumer watchdog Which reports that roughly half of all Windows users are having problems with their PCs.

Unfortunately, it’s not hyperbole, nor is it something Microsoft can brush off as manufacturing growing pains. This time around it’s not necessarily the Surface hardware failing consumers but the Windows 10 operating system itself.

Techradar is reporting that Which has polled some 1,100 of its members and it’s concluded that half of that pool has experienced issues such as glitches, bugs and driver issues all stemming from recent Windows 10 updates.

The headaches only begin with the minor inconveniences brought on by Windows 10 updates listed above. In most cases, users have reported encountering Bluetooth and USB peripherals not working, crashed apps, and in rarer cases, PCs that become bricked or failed to boot after updates.

Of the roughly half of Windows 10 Which users who have run into OS-level issues, nearly 46% of them reported having to pay a 3rd party retailer to repair their devices.

Which is now advocating that Microsoft take a hard look at the way it implements updates as well figuring out a way to compensate the unfortunate users who have experienced costly issues with their Windows 10 devices.

Which is not alone in its complaints, other watchdog groups and consumer advocacy establishments have been protesting Microsoft’s seemingly arbitrary rushed update cycle. Which would like Microsoft to consider separating critical security updates from feature updates and leaving the latter as a choice rather than an inevitability.

Another consideration brought up, is give users a full disclosed list of possible issues that come along with each update and lastly, allowing users to ask for their money back when the OS goes awry. The latter proposition is a bit tricky with a majority of Microsoft’s Windows 10 base essentially using a free OS right now.

For its part, Microsoft has heard the complaints coming from Which and has agreed to at least consider some of the proposals.

“We want to make sure our customers receive the right support they need to get the best Windows update experience and we will continue to review customer esquires and issues on a case-by-case basis to ensure individual help and resolution where possible.

In addition, Which members are very important to us so we are currently exploring ways in which we can work together in the future to ensure they have the support that they need in a wy that is easy and quick.”

Obviously, the proof is in the pudding and we’ll have to wait and see how Microsoft addresses consumer complaints about Windows 10 updates in the future.

Perhaps, with the new Windows re-org, we’ll see elongated Insider periods and fewer actual consumer releases per year as the emphasis on Windows 10 ratchets down in favor of a focus on the cloud.