Taking a page from Apple's book, Microsoft to make Windows 10 a free upgrade

13567

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 122
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    canukstorm wrote: »
    After today, there will definitely be debates on whether MS is the "new" Apple (or not) but you can't deny that what MS showed today was great.  And cool.

    New Apple in what way?
  • Reply 42 of 122
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Microsoft makes a significant portion of revenue from Windows, these are numbers for 2014:

    Microsoft Office system $24.3b
    Windows PC operating system $16.8b
    Server products and tools $17b
    Xbox Platform $8.6b
    Consulting and product support services $4.8b
    Advertising $4b
    Phone $3b (iPhone made $102b)
    Surface $1.9b (iPad made $30b)
    Other $6.2b

    Total $86.8b

    Even though the XBox looks high, it doesn't make good net profits because the costs are high:

    http://gamingbolt.com/xbox-one-lost-400-million-for-microsoft-within-first-eight-months

    Most of the Windows money will come from licenses of the bundled OS when people buy a new computer (that's over 300m units every year). This can be as much as $120 per unit:

    http://redmondmag.com/articles/2013/03/08/microsoft-cuts-oem-costs-on-windows-8.aspx

    "Microsoft is offering its OEM partners discounted licensing on a Windows 8 and Office bundle for some touch-screen systems at a cost of $30, instead of $120."

    Microsoft has said they're not sure what they'll do after the first year of the free upgrade:

    http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/01/windows-10-free-for-all-windows-8-1-and-windows-7-users-for-first-year/

    "Microsoft fielded some questions about this upgrade in its Q&A session after the event. The company "hasn't decided" how it will handle upgrades from Windows 7 or 8.1 after the first year of Windows 10 availability ends, and it is "working on an update for Windows RT," but doesn't have further details to share."

    "A blog post from Terry Myerson clears up what "Windows as a service" means, though the duration of "the supported lifetime of the device" is still foggy. "This is more than a one-time upgrade," writes Myerson. "Once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device—at no additional charge."

    I would guess that the basic version will be free with paid upgrades available inside the OS to Office subscriptions and Pro features e.g:

    "I see you've connected a second display, before you can use it, you have to subscribe to the premium IAP"
    "I see you're trying to encrypt your filesystem, that needs you to subscribe to the professional IAP"

    It doesn't matter for basic users upgrading, most wouldn't have paid for it manually anyway.

    One feature I'd have liked to see is the ability to run Windows natively from a dynamically resized filesystem container instead of a fixed partition. It would just format a data block inside the OS X filesystem and run from that. Even if it had to reboot, that would be ok but when Windows was shut down, all its free space would be reduced to zero and given back to OS X. It would be better if all the hardware could be shared so a reboot wasn't necessary. This would make it easier for OS X users to install Windows for the odd task and not have it waste a whole partition of space. Its data access would still be limited to the container.
  • Reply 43 of 122
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MediaPlex View Post

     

    I will use Windows 7 until the very last day of support.  


    Win 7 support ended January 13, 2015.

  • Reply 44 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    mstone wrote: »
    What happened to Windows 9?

    Couldn't be deliberately confused with OS X by sleazy PC salesmen in computer stores.
  • Reply 45 of 122
    jj.yuanjj.yuan Posts: 213member
    Quote:

    who upgrade in the first year after launch.*

    Nice trick!

     

    Large companies usually cannot update their desktops within the first year of a Windows release. My company went to Win7 in 2014. I am 100% sure that we will not update to Win10 in 2015-16 time frame. So, by the time we update (assuming we do), we probably will have to pay a fee ... <img class=" src="http://forums-files.appleinsider.com/images/smilies//lol.gif" />

  • Reply 46 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    But 1000000 x 0 = 0

    LOL Spot on!
  • Reply 47 of 122

    That's a very bold step for Microsoft, and the question has to be: what's their new business model? Last time I checked, they're not exactly making hand-over-fist dollars on hardware sales, and Office has been squeezed significantly by freebie competitors, like Google Docs. 

     

    Given how tacky MS is known to be with product execution, I'm envisioning a pay-per-click, ad supplemented OS for Win10. "This document will be saved in 30 seconds, following a Word from our sponsors..."

  • Reply 48 of 122
    Awesome. I held off on 8 because 7 was working fine for me. To get 10 for free is fantastic.

    What happens after the first year?
  • Reply 49 of 122
    mstone wrote: »
    Win 7 support ended January 13, 2015.

    How's the future? Who wins the World Cup in 2015?
  • Reply 50 of 122

    Win7 has been working just fine for me.  I'll definitely be skipping the jump to Win10, even if it's free.  I have no reason to upgrade…. unless Win10 can turn my PC into a Mac.  That would be pretty sweet. 

  • Reply 51 of 122
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member

    Yes, their intentions after year one might be ominous enough,

    but I wonder whether the scarier caveat will turn out to be "qualifying hardware (and software)" issue?

  • Reply 52 of 122
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Oneill View Post

     

    What are the differences?

    CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v62), quality = 75


    Welcome to the forums! I'm not sure about differences, but I can tell you one similarity: everyone in the front row is using a Mac laptop.

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    How's the future? Who wins the World Cup in 2015?

    Future? The future from Jan. 13th, 2015? Considering today is Jan. 21st, 2015, I would say just fine. Care to join us?

  • Reply 53 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lord Amhran View Post



    Win10 looks like a VAST improvement over the garbage that was Win8.

    Is this joke? I mean there's an old proverb: 

     


    Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

    Prov. After being tricked once, one should be wary, so that the person cannot trick you again. 


     


    In Microsof's  case then, depending on how many OS upgradesa they have foisted on the unsuspecting world we should be shaming ourselves about 12 times for believing they can ever come up with anything but a bill of goods



  • Reply 54 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Zapf Brannigan View Post

     

    That's a very bold step for Microsoft, and the question has to be: what's their new business model? Last time I checked, they're not exactly making hand-over-fist dollars on hardware sales, and Office has been squeezed significantly by freebie competitors, like Google Docs. 

     

    Given how tacky MS is known to be with product execution, I'm envisioning a pay-per-click, ad supplemented OS for Win10. "This document will be saved in 30 seconds, following a Word from our sponsors..."


    Perhaps they are emulating the Google Model : call it a beta, that way they can justify all the bugs, broken architecture, idiotic and un-thought thru features?

  • Reply 55 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by LighteningKid View Post

     

    Welcome to the forums! I'm not sure about differences, but I can tell you one similarity: everyone in the front row is using a Mac laptop.

     

    Future? The future from Jan. 13th, 2015? Considering today is Jan. 21st, 2015, I would say just fine. Care to join us?


    I was sitting in Cafe Roma on Saturday afternoon in Berkeley,  Ca . I glanced up and counted 10 mac laptops and one PC laptop. Not a great sample but hey

  • Reply 56 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post



    Microsoft makes a significant portion of revenue from Windows, these are numbers for 2014:



    Microsoft Office system $24.3b

    Windows PC operating system $16.8b

    Server products and tools $17b

    Xbox Platform $8.6b

    Consulting and product support services $4.8b

    Advertising $4b

    Phone $3b (iPhone made $102b)

    Surface $1.9b (iPad made $30b)

    Other $6.2b



    Total $86.8b



    Even though the XBox looks high, it doesn't make good net profits because the costs are high:



    http://gamingbolt.com/xbox-one-lost-400-million-for-microsoft-within-first-eight-months



    Most of the Windows money will come from licenses of the bundled OS when people buy a new computer (that's over 300m units every year). This can be as much as $120 per unit:



    http://redmondmag.com/articles/2013/03/08/microsoft-cuts-oem-costs-on-windows-8.aspx



    "Microsoft is offering its OEM partners discounted licensing on a Windows 8 and Office bundle for some touch-screen systems at a cost of $30, instead of $120."



    Microsoft has said they're not sure what they'll do after the first year of the free upgrade:



    http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/01/windows-10-free-for-all-windows-8-1-and-windows-7-users-for-first-year/



    "Microsoft fielded some questions about this upgrade in its Q&A session after the event. The company "hasn't decided" how it will handle upgrades from Windows 7 or 8.1 after the first year of Windows 10 availability ends, and it is "working on an update for Windows RT," but doesn't have further details to share."



    "A blog post from Terry Myerson clears up what "Windows as a service" means, though the duration of "the supported lifetime of the device" is still foggy. "This is more than a one-time upgrade," writes Myerson. "Once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device—at no additional charge."



    I would guess that the basic version will be free with paid upgrades available inside the OS to Office subscriptions and Pro features e.g:



    "I see you've connected a second display, before you can use it, you have to subscribe to the premium IAP"

    "I see you're trying to encrypt your filesystem, that needs you to subscribe to the professional IAP"



    It doesn't matter for basic users upgrading, most wouldn't have paid for it manually anyway.



    One feature I'd have liked to see is the ability to run Windows natively from a dynamically resized filesystem container instead of a fixed partition. It would just format a data block inside the OS X filesystem and run from that. Even if it had to reboot, that would be ok but when Windows was shut down, all its free space would be reduced to zero and given back to OS X. It would be better if all the hardware could be shared so a reboot wasn't necessary. This would make it easier for OS X users to install Windows for the odd task and not have it waste a whole partition of space. Its data access would still be limited to the container.

    can I upgrade from XP? I run VMware on my mac for the 2 apps i use under windows, I have XP installed i don't do any surfing from it at all except on the few occasions when I'm buying something to get cheaper prices on PC vs the Mac. Once I stop the VMware instance the memory is freed up  for the mac

  • Reply 57 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    Couldn't be deliberately confused with OS X by sleazy PC salesmen in computer stores.

    Salesman, " OS X, nah that's very bad, Windows X is much better and is free!"

     

    what ever happened to X Windows? oh hello -  Perhaps we should really call Windows 10 "ex Windows" nice play on words , as in yeah I remember my ex . I glad I dumped her! She was nuts

  • Reply 58 of 122
    mr4jsmr4js Posts: 55member
    You can be sure on one thing. Windows Blows! Always did, Always will.
  • Reply 59 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member

    Most of the Windows money will come from licenses of the bundled OS when people buy a new computer (that's over 300m units every year). This can be as much as $120 per unit:

     

    yes and 50-60% of apple's revenue iPhone thats  200 million per year at $400 net per device= about 80B

  • Reply 60 of 122
    pistispistis Posts: 247member

    what happened to Windows 9

     

    Answer : 7 ate 9

Sign In or Register to comment.