Microsoft Indonesia president: Windows 9 will be free to Windows 8 owners

PC World ^ | 09/29/2014 | Nick Mediati

[SeekAndFind]

We already know quite a bit about Windows 9 (or whatever Microsoft decides to call it). Thanks to the president of Microsoft Indonesia, we might now know another detail about Microsoft’s upcoming OS—its price.

According to Indonesian news site Detik.com (via BGR), Andreas Diantoro, the president of Microsoft Indonesia, confirms that Windows 9 will be a free upgrade for all Windows 8 users.

Why it matters: Users are becoming more accustomed to free operating system updates, given the fact that even major iOS, Android, and OS X updates are gratis. And after the negative reception Windows 8 received, Microsoft has some added incentive to earn back its users’ trust. With that in mind, Windows 9 is just as much a chance to change the tenor of discussion surrounding Windows as it is a new version of the OS.

Taking cues from Windows 8.1, OS X

According to BGR, Windows 9 will be available as a free download, much like Apple’s updates to OS X–and much like Windows 8.1, which was a free update provided to Windows 8 and Windows RT users through the Windows Store.

[GeronL]

Window 8 Service Pack 2

[Enlightened1]

Microsoft made a good move here, but need to make it free for every Microsoft User like Apple and Amazon do and not just the 16 million Windows 8 users. Well as long as your hardware can run it.

[stubernx98]

Is this why MS is laying off 18,000 folks? They get 1 week pay for each 6 months they worked there. Mostly senior folks getting the door. (most were Obama voters)

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Sorry but there are not individuals who own Windows 8 products and only one company which owns Windows 8 products and that company is Microsoft. The rest of us are licensees, not owners.

[GeronL]

I think the layoffs are in different departments.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Is this why MS is laying off 18,000 folks?

Most of these layoffs came from acquiring the phone business of Nokia. The Nokia devices division will be thinned tremendously.

The rest of Microsoft’s divisions are mostly unaffected.

[KarlInOhio]

Please, please, please, please, please, please buy a system with Windows 8 on it instead of holding on to Windows 7 for the next decade. We'll let you have Windows 8.2 9 for free.

[adorno]

...but need to make it free for every Microsoft User like Apple and Amazon do and not just the 16 million Windows 8 users

First off, OSX is not free, and Apple's prices for every device are so high that, the OS can be included with the devices. Microsoft does not make the devices from which it can charge a higher price which would include the OS, other than the Surface tablets. For devices smaller than 9 inches, the OS from Microsoft is already free (aka: included, a la Apple). Apple's OS is really a component of the entire device, and none of Apple's OSes are sold separately, like the Windows OS.

Secondly, the number of MS users on Windows 8 is way over 200 million, and likely closer to 300 million by now; not the 16 million you quote.

[Enlightened1]

According to this article from PC WORLD. There are more Vista users than Windows 8! It’s 16 million for Windows 8. Please read the quote below from PC WORLD.

“At the end of 2013, there were almost 715 million copies of Windows installed in businesses worldwide, and more than half—361.2 million—were Windows 7, according to IDC. About 224 million were Windows XP, and almost 40 million were Windows Vista. Little over 16 million were Windows 8.”

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2688752/with-new-os-microsoft-will-try-to-put-windows-8-era-behind-it.html

[Enlightened1]

iOS and OS X are both free now.

“Just like 10.9 Mavericks and the other Apple operating systems, the public is expecting to get the new OS X Yosemite upgrade for free for compatible Apple devices.”

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/os.x.yosemite.update.oct.21.release.date.coincide.new.apple.ipads/41012.htm

[adorno]

You are misunderstanding what you read:

At the end of 2013, there were almost 715 million copies of Windows installed in businesses worldwide, and more than half—361.2 million—were Windows 7, according to IDC. About 224 million were Windows XP, and almost 40 million were Windows Vista. Little over 16 million were Windows 8.

Let me interpret that for you. There ia a keyword in that paragraph, which you failed to notice: it is "businesses". Businesses are late to adopting any new version of Windows.

The sales of Windows 8 are mostly to consumers, and the number of licenses which Microsoft has sold are a lot more than 200 million, as of the beginning of the year, and by now, it's likely closer to 400 million.

The total number of the installed base for Windows OSes, is a lot more than 1 1/5 billion.

[adorno]

When it comes to iOS and Maverick being "free", nothing could be further from the truth.

With any Apple device, the OS is included in the price when the PC or tablet or smartphone is sold. IOW, included in the original price. Apple DOES NOT sell its OSes separately, and the only upgrade paths are from originally sold devices. Apple's OSes are, essentially, sold as components of the original devices. A component adds to the price of the device, and Apple's devices are generally sold at higher prices than most others, and the "OS as a component" is the reason why.

Most people are deceived into believing that an included OS is included for "free", and that's not always true, especially when it comes to Apple. Even Android is NOT FREE. Google gets the value of the OS extracted from consumers when they turn those consumers into the "Google product that is sold via advertising in those devices".

Free comes with a price, and sometimes, that price is much higher than a regular price at the retail level.