There's not a whole helluva lot functionally different between Windows 3.1 and Windows Whatever (in that they're all WiMPs).
No, the hardware may not have changed much, but the usage of computers in general society has changed, a lot. due to the internet.
When Windwos 3.1 was popular, odds are you couldn't use it to order cinema tickets at your local cinema, buy pizza, order your shopping, send a message to your mother, or watch the latest film as soon as it came out at whatever time suited you.
Now, when Windows 7 is popular, you can do all these things.