The next iteration of Windows will be a free upgrade to a large number of existing Windows users, Microsoft revealed today at its media event. Owners of computers running Windows 7 or later will receive an upgrade to Windows 10 at no charge, in a move that is highly likely to bolster user numbers for the operating system shortly after launch.
Executive vice president of operating systems at Microsoft Terry Myerson confirmed on stage that systems running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, and therefore Windows 8 as well, will be able to upgrade within the first year of Windows 10’s launch. It was not explained exactly how the upgrade would take place, but based on the upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, it is likely to involve the Windows Store for the newer Windows versions, with another download option for Windows 7 users. Windows Phone 8.1 users will also receive the upgrade for their devices.
After some confusion, Microsoft has clarified its stance on Windows 10. The free offer for Windows 10 is a perpetual license, not a subscription model. The offer for the free upgrade expires after a year following release, not the upgrade license.
The move echoes one performed by Apple in 2013, when it made OS X Mavericks a free upgrade. While Microsoft is letting user download Windows 10 upgrades at no cost for up to a year, it appears Microsoft will not be mimicking Apple’s decision to make major operating system upgrades free on an ongoing basis.
