Redmond signs deals to release Windows 10 to more users

Mar 18, 2015 09:20 GMT  ·  By

Windows 10 will be offered as a free upgrade within the first year after launch for all those running Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, but Microsoft is signing separate deals in China to make sure that more local users find out about its offer and give the new OS a try.

Today the software giant has announced that it signed deals with two important companies in China that would help it make Windows 10 available for more users and offer them a pack of additional tools to customize their experience on the new operating system.

Tescent, which is currently one of the leading gaming services and social networking providers in China, will make Windows 10 available as a free upgrade for its customers and, at the same time, offer them an additional pack of tools that includes QQ, Tencent Video, and Tencent PC Manager.

At the same time, Tencent agreed to port its QQ app and release it to Windows 10 users as a universal app, which means that it will work on PCs, tablets, and smartphones running the new operating system.

What's more exciting for Windows users is that Tescent is also planning to bring a series of games on Windows 10, including League of Legends, Cross Fire, and Dungeon & Fighter.

Microsoft has also announced a deal with security company Qihu 360 that would also help bring Windows 10 free of charge to more users. Most likely, these copies of Windows 10 will come with pre-installed security software developed by Qihu 360.

Fighting Windows XP and local piracy

It's a well-known fact that, in China, piracy levels continue to be really high, no matter how hard the company actually struggled to convince users to purchase genuine copies of Windows 10.

That's exactly the purpose of all these deals, as Microsoft is trying to benefit from the popularity of local companies to bring Windows 10 to more customers and thus present them with the advantages of using a legitimate copy of Windows. It goes without saying that a genuine license for Windows 7 or 8.1 would still be needed, but at least Chinese users would be able to upgrade their computers to the newest release without paying any additional fee.

At the same time, by offering Windows 10 free of charge in China, Microsoft is also hoping to convince more users to dump Windows XP, the ancient operating system that's still powering some 30 percent of local desktops computers.

Windows XP support ended in April 2014, but many still run it because upgrading would require not only a new Windows license but also expensive system upgrades.