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

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  • Reply 21 of 122
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    So Brian Hall says Microsoft is the new Apple and Apple is so tied to iPhone profits it no longer swings for the fences (uses ?Watch as an example because it's tied to the phone). Seems to me that's a misunderstanding of what Apple was/is. Apple doesn't just release stuff for the sake of it. I don't think Apple is any different in that regard than they were under Steve. It's funny how on one hand you have people complaining that Tim Cook's Apple isn't focused enough and others who think it's too conservative.
  • Reply 22 of 122
    The litmus test for "it's free (as in beer)" is if Microsoft removes Windows Genuine Advantage and all the activation restrictions that goes with it.
  • Reply 23 of 122
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member

    Threadjack: Saw some reports of a thing from MS called "hololens." It is possible Microsoft might soon offer a product I am interested in buying.

     

    I was holding out for the Avegant Glyph.

  • Reply 24 of 122
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post

     



    I checked out the minutes of the intro.  They didn't mention anything - that I could catch - about Windows 10 being a subscription.  There was a very vague reference to it, but it was not really confirmed they were doing that.



    The biggest mistake Microsoft could/would make is to have users pay a subscription to use their computer.  I can see a huge backlash on that.  Subscriptions like Adobe to use software is one thing, but to use your own physical computer, something entirely different.


    True, but Microsoft must get their money from somewhere since they don't sell computers, sans Surface.

  • Reply 25 of 122
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Phone-UI-Guy View Post

     

     

    Where are you seeing that? This is the text from Microsoft's site. The * footnote is just about compatibility, etc.

     

     

    I read that as it will be free if you upgrade within the first year that Windows 10 is on the market. If you wait until after that first year, you will have to pay. Once you get the free upgrade, it will be free for the supported lifetime of the device it is running on. 

     

    Not sure where you are getting the subscription fee from. Looks like they will have a fee, but that is for folks that are late to the party. Looks like they are trying to entice people to upgrade to Windows 10 sooner rather than later.




    So how do you think Microsoft will make money?  They don't make the actual machines so they can't get the R&D costs for Windows back by selling more hardware.  They don't sell ads on the OS... they (hopefully) won't get paid by 3rd parties to bundle crapware on the distro... using Windows won't hook users to other Microsoft products (Office is on OS X for instance)... so how will they make money?

     

    They're not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.  If they truly give it away free then they're starting to get desperate and the logic is to hook people on a free Windows 10 so you can make money on later versions.... otherwise look for for a subscription after the 1st year or a forced upgrade to Windows 11 (which won't be free).

     

    "Actually, during the Q&A after the event, someone asked about after the first year, and Microsoft didn't know what they would do.  They may charge money, or they may even keep it free.  They simply don't know yet."

     

    Oh come on... they know.. you can't spend 3 billion (9b R&D assuming Windows is 1/3 of R&D) and give it away free.  The game plan is... if it takes off charge for it... if nobody wants it then it's free...

  • Reply 26 of 122
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member

    This is really clever. After Bill Gates, someone at the top must be smart to recognize the change in industry and made such decision.  I love this such bold steps.. If you don't like than F*** you because you just don't get it. I always like Apple products and freaking my home is full of Apple products but I have to admire Microsoft and it's new CEO whoever that person. Previous CEO, Mr. Balmer who bought LA Clippers and running on stage like child was bummer for Microsoft.. Bill Gates should have booted him out long time back.

  • Reply 27 of 122

    Only slightly off topic: noticed they referenced Studio C in the pic (below the time on the TV on the wall).  Their Hunger Games parody made me lol

  • Reply 28 of 122
    pfisherpfisher Posts: 758member

    Great points here. MS will need some hook to make money off of Windows X. I mean Win10.

     

    Hopefully, they didn't dig themselves into a hole on that one.

     

    Maybe Windows is already making so little money? Not a lot from corporate users? Maybe they simply had no choice.

     

    Well, it's interesting news, to be sure. The tech world has been full of surprises the last few years.

  • Reply 29 of 122
    08150815 Posts: 4member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bloggerblog View Post

     

    True, but Microsoft must get their money from somewhere since they don't sell computers, sans Surface.




    They get most money from their office products - and they must get people to upgrade to the latests windows so that they have to pay for the latest office (due to compatibility issues) .... and xbox also makes in the meantime some money (not like in the early days of xbox)

  • Reply 30 of 122

    The s*** is going to hit the fan after the first year when M$ figure out what they're going to do. People are either going to be forced to live with a compromised OS if they limit what you can do with the free version or they'll be greeted with a "you must subscribe to continue using Windows 10" screen lol As long as they make it clear up front what they're going to do before people install it that's fine, but if it all starts to kick off a year down the line and all of a sudden everyone finds themselves with a dud OS that certainly won't make for great headlines. Either way I don't think M$ would give a completely free OS, how else would they make money? The fact that they're being vague about it means that they have some cunning plan to fleece their users for every penny.

  • Reply 31 of 122
    jj.yuanjj.yuan Posts: 213member

    How does MS make money? I don't understand this new business model because MS doesn't sell hardware.

     

    I guess PC makers still have to pay MS a fee to install the OS on every new piece of hardware. What do you think?

  • Reply 32 of 122

    What are the differences?

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

  • Reply 33 of 122
    dachardachar Posts: 330member
    MS may still be making money on this. It appears that upgrades are free but what about if you are not upgrading or have older software? You might have to pay then. This could include licensing to PC manufacturers for new machines.
  • Reply 34 of 122

    How does MS make money? By continuing to charge extra for Windows 7.

  • Reply 35 of 122
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,693member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    So Brian Hall says Microsoft is the new Apple and Apple is so tied to iPhone profits it no longer swings for the fences (uses ?Watch as an example because it's tied to the phone). Seems to me that's a misunderstanding of what Apple was/is. Apple doesn't just release stuff for the sake of it. I don't think Apple is any different in that regard than they were under Steve. It's funny how on one hand you have people complaining that Tim Cook's Apple isn't focused enough and others who think it's too conservative.

    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.

  • Reply 36 of 122
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dachar View Post



    MS may still be making money on this. It appears that upgrades are free but what about if you are not upgrading or have older software? You might have to pay then. This could include licensing to PC manufacturers for new machines.

    I think this is the case. MS makes money by licensing fees from new machines. I've never purchased a PC, so I don't know. I saw one model of a IBM Thinkpad that had a sticker on the bottom with the MS code on it. Can you buy a PC without a MS operating system? Like Linux, and then install your free MW10? I hear people actually make their own PCs out of parts, so I presume so.

  • Reply 37 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    So there is one of the pillars of Microsoft's income shot away. Next give Office away and it will be well on the way to oblivion. The guy with the annoying hair in the video say's "With Windows 10 we want you to love your PC ...' You can almost hear him thinking ... 'as opposed to hating it!'
  • Reply 38 of 122
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    boriscleto wrote: »
    How does MS make money? By continuing to charge extra for Windows 7.

    I think they put all their cash into AAPL .. :D

    Seriously having watched the video I seriously think they have another fail. Windows users (the normal folks, not gamers and nerds) are not too computer savvy by enlarge and anything much beyond XP and 7 (which is XP cleaned up) will be far too much for them to take in. I see more iPad sales.
  • Reply 39 of 122
    negafoxnegafox Posts: 480member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1 View Post

     



    I wish people would quit reporting that it's a free upgrade without reporting that it's free for the first year, then you pay a subscription fee.


    Source about the subscription fee? Per Microsoft's website:

    http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/01/21/the-next-generation-of-windows-windows-10/

     

    "We announced that a free upgrade for Windows 10 will be made available to customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 who upgrade in the first year after launch.*

    *Hardware and software requirements apply. No additional charge."

  • Reply 40 of 122
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member

    What happened to Windows 9?

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