Windows 7 day one pre-orders in UK outpace total Vista pre-orders

US and Canadian customers were recently able to buy upgrade versions of Windows 7 via a pre-order discount. That policy has changed and pre-order customers must now pay full price. Still, that has not kept UK consumers from buying Windows 7 on pre-order at record pace.

According to BBC News, Amazon reported Windows 7 sales in the first day (eight hours of sales) surpassed the entire 17 week pre-order sales period for Windows Vista. UK residents are currently paying £50 pounds for the home version, and £100 for the professional version (both of which are full versions), which is notably less than the US buyers will pay today on Microsoft’s website at $199.99 and $299.99, respectively.

The analyst company IDC is predicting 177 million copies will be sold by the end of 2010, with 50 million of those being sold exclusively in Europe. That would translate to revenue in all areas related to Windows 7 software and services around the $320 billion mark.

The recent $1.3 billion fine and EU antitrust ruling against Microsoft means UK buyers will not be receiving a native install of Internet Explorer. It will have to be installed separately.