'Free' Windows 10 Will Soon Become Expensive
Written by Gordon Kelly
It’s make your mind up time. Windows 10 has come in for a lot of (justified) criticism but it also represents the future of Windows and it is free – but not for much longer…
This week Microsoft MSFT +0.88% has taken to its official Windows blog to confirm news many feared: the days of free Windows 10 upgrades are coming to a close:
“The free upgrade offer to Windows 10 was a first for Microsoft, helping people upgrade faster than ever before. And time is running out,” announced Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group. “The free upgrade offer will end on July 29 and we want to make sure you don’t miss out. After July 29th, you’ll be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119(NGN 23,700).”
Mehdi omitted this, but for those upgrading to ‘Windows 10 Pro’ from a professional version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 will also lose their free upgrades as well. The retail price for Windows 10 Pro will be $199(NGN 39,700).
Making Windows 10 Free comes at a huge cost to Microsoft. Image credit: Microsoft
It’s make your mind up time. Windows 10 has come in for a lot of (justified) criticism but it also represents the future of Windows and it is free – but not for much longer…
This week Microsoft MSFT +0.88% has taken to its official Windows blog to confirm news many feared: the days of free Windows 10 upgrades are coming to a close:
“The free upgrade offer to Windows 10 was a first for Microsoft, helping people upgrade faster than ever before. And time is running out,” announced Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group. “The free upgrade offer will end on July 29 and we want to make sure you don’t miss out. After July 29th, you’ll be able to continue to get Windows 10 on a new device, or purchase a full version of Windows 10 Home for $119(NGN 23,700).”
Mehdi omitted this, but for those upgrading to ‘Windows 10 Pro’ from a professional version of Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 will also lose their free upgrades as well. The retail price for Windows 10 Pro will be $199(NGN 39,700).
Making Windows 10 Free comes at a huge cost to Microsoft. Image credit: Microsoft
Are there any upsides to this? I’d argue there are two.
The first is Microsoft has promised to stop pushing Windows 10 upgrades so forcibly after the free upgrade period ends and removing the infamous ‘Get Windows 10’ alerts is part of that.
Read Also:Microsoft Changes Windows 10 'Free Upgrade' Rules
The second is I still wouldn’t put it past Microsoft to offer a ‘last minute extension’ to the free offer either just before or after the July 29th deadline. Why not earlier? Because Microsoft wouldn’t benefit from the rush of last minute upgraders. Meanwhile extending is for 3-6 months could energise a second rush of upgraders who’d not been aware of the original deadline.
One final point to make is: existing Windows 10 users will not be affected by this. Microsoft will not start charging you after the July 29th deadline passes as long as your copy is activated.
The good news: nagging to upgrade to Windows 10 should reduce. Image credit: Gordon Kelly
On the plus side Microsoft says over 300m PCs now run just 10 months after launch. But on the other Microsoft has taken a $1.5BN hit to give these copies away and been rightly savaged for some of the sneaky and often downright scandalous tactics it has employed to push users to upgrade.
All in all, I suspect there’s still a lot more to come from Windows 10 both good and bad...
Source: Forbes Tech
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