Will Windows 10 be subscription only?

Gazpablo

I'm beginning to think Microsoft will enable a free or low cost upgrade in 2015 to the new Windows 10 for Windows 8, 7 and possibly Vista and XP users. Windows 10 could be the last big change and thereafter there would be incremental updates to ensure a continuously up-to-date operating system but the catch might be that you have to sign up to a monthly or yearly subscription. Would you pay say £70 or £90 a year for Windows 10? If you did your costs would inevitably rise. Is Windows worth it? Microsoft has form in terms of clunky and rogue updates. Microsoft's new CEO has already said they want to move to being a primarily services company. Software companies like Adobe already make subscription to their software compulsory. Subscriptions provide steady cashflow. If you are not prepared to pay fees to Microsoft what alternatives are there - Apple, Linux or some lesser known operating system?

kwikbreaks

I suspect many would stick with what they have for longer - just look at the reported number of machines still on XP (quick google suggests 25% of machines another result says 500m which may or may not be the same thing).

I'd not pay an annual subscription as the machines I have are good enough for my current needs and probably the needs for a number of years unless some new must-have appears that requires faster.

I'd hope that by the time they become obsolete/unrepairable Linux may be usable for me. Certainly I like Android which is a Linux version and I've seen suggestions it may be frigged about with to run on laptops/desktops. Maybe tablets will be a realistic replacement in which case it would be Android for me and not Windows.

I may well be proven wrong but to my mind a subscription model would be Microsoft's downfall.

Gazpablo

Fair points kwikbreaks. I can imagine in the first instance that Microsoft would play the security card, that is, subscribe and you get up-to-date security. I would not want to be chained to one company but I am concerned about Android reporting back to the Google mothership, and Linux is currently not an easy system for most users. Lastly, I can't help thinking Microsoft won't be around in 10 years so I want to keep my ear to the ground and see which way the wind is blowing.

GunJack

Gazpablo wrote: »

I'm beginning to think Microsoft will enable a free or low cost upgrade in 2015 to the new Windows 10 for Windows 8, 7 and possibly Vista and XP users.

no, can't see this happening, ms will need to sell high volumes of licenses to cover dev costs, support & profit. Subscription for updates? no, too many people wouldn't bother, so back to my first point....

JJ_Egan

Probable that they will do the dirt cheap pre release offers as per Win 8 .

I am concerned about Windows reporting back to the Microsoft mother-ship .

agrinnall

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Probable that they will do the dirt cheap pre release offers as per Win 8 .

I am concerned about Windows reporting back to the Microsoft mother-ship .

What are you doing that you don't want MS to know about?

Nicklt

Microsoft will certianly be around in the next 10 years and well beyond that. Though probably not in the same guise we see them now.

Windows is still the OS of choice for most companies and for most of Joe Public, same with office and other MS applications.

Xbox is a massive cash cow for MS.

Imagine there will be a hault on different version of MS everyone 2-3 years, and just small updates to the current offering every now and then.

JJ_Egan

agrinnall wrote: »

What are you doing that you don't want MS to know about?

Using Android .

I_have_spoken

Would you pay say £70 or £90 a year for Windows 10?

I pay £65 per year for up to 5 full installs of Office (currently 2013) and 1Tb on OneDrive, so I'd certainly consider it.

agrinnall

JJ_Egan wrote: »

Using Android .

Me too, and a bit of Linux, but I don't care if MS know about it.

paddyrg

I'm averse to monthly pricing (probably for no good reason) - I like to pay cash upfront and know the deal is done. Monthly/subscrption feels too ambiguous to me. What if I rent an OS for a year, then stop paying? Do I lose use of my computer? Files? etc.