Microsoft: 1.3 billion Windows users, Office is on 1 billion desktops (and more stats)

At the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference today, Kurt DelBene, Microsoft’s Office president, with Steve Ballmer on stage made a not-insignificant announcement: Microsoft Office is installed on one billion machines around the world.

Whilst the magic billion figure has been bandied around before, the Seattle-based software giant finally confirmed the figure today in front of a packed audience in Toronto. Also, Microsoft announced 1.3billion Windows users around the world, and more specifically 680 million Windows 7 licenses have been sold.

Meanwhile, at the conference today, it was also confirmed that Windows 8 will be launched publicly in late October.

The 2012 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference is running from July 8 – 12, and it’s expected that 15,000 delegates from 150 countries will be in attendance.