Market analysts and experts on IT spending have taken a “wait-and-see” approach to pass judgment on whether the launch of Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows 7 would cause quick adoption of the software at businesses. Upgrades to Windows 7 should cause a wave of purchases with the operating system already installed.

The introduction of Windows 7 has indeed sharply increased PC sales. A new ChangeWave survey shows that planned IT spending in the first quarter of 2010 will be the strongest since early 2008. Seventy-three percent of the 1,753 corporate IT buyers surveyed by ChangeWave in November say their companies will be buying laptops and 69% desktops in the first quarter. Nearly one-in-five say Windows 7 is causing their company’s normal upgrade cycle to accelerate.

ChangeWave also found that 37% of Windows 7 beta testers were “very satisfied” with the operating system and 56% were “somewhat” satisfied.

Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), which has been plagued by poor sales for two years, is making a comeback in enterprise sales, according to ChangeWave. For the third consecutive survey, Dell’s corporate PC share is inching higher. A total of 33% of those polled now say their company plans on buying Dell desktops and 32% laptops in Q1 2010.

Hewlett-Packard’s (NYSE:HPQ) PC sales are also expected to rise among corporate buyers. Eighteen percent of respondents say their company will be buying H-P desktops and 18% laptops.

Even Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), which has had trouble breaking into sales to large companies, will benefit from enterprise computer sales as the economy recovers. Planned Mac buying has hit a new high in the latest survey, with 10% of those polled saying their company will be buying Mac laptops and 7% desktops in the first quarter. This may be because many Macs run Windows.

Corporate IT spending is definitely moving up and almost every company with a major presence in the market is about to see improvements in sales. A rising tide does lift all boats.

Douglas A. McIntyre

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