14 DAY TRIAL // We’re less than 12 months away from the moment when Windows 10 finally becomes available, but even though more details are being disclosed by Microsoft itself on a regular basis, there still are some things that the company is keeping secret right now. One of them is Windows 10 pricing.
A few months ago, rumors suggesting that Windows 10 could be free of charge rapidly spread all over the web and while Microsoft didn’t publicly deny them, there were some sources from within the company who indicated that the company was at least thinking about such a plan.
Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft, said during a recent conference that the Windows 10 pricing framework “is yet to be decided,” so the company is most likely still thinking about making this new product free, more affordable, or maintain the same pricing as for Windows 8.
Turner, however, admitted that Microsoft didn’t want Windows 10 to be “a loss leader,” adding that the company needed “to monetize it differently.”
Creativity for the win
One of the things that Turner said indicated that Microsoft could actually adopt a different pricing strategy for Windows 10, but without any specifics being disclosed until now, it’s really hard to speculate on this new approach.
The COO pointed out that services were involved in Windows 10, so this creates “additional opportunities” for the company and its new product. Could Windows 10 come with a more affordable price tag or even free and have users pay for access to specific services? Hard to say, but as things seem to be right now, there is a chance for this to happen.
Turner also reiterated CEO Satya Nadella’s words, explaining that Microsoft was in the process of reinventing itself, so it was learning and “getting smarter and wiser every day.”
Windows 10 coming in late summer 2015
Work is already underway on Windows 10, and in addition to several Technical Preview builds that are available for download right now as part of the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft is also planning to release a Consumer Preview build sometime in the next few months.
A developer preview version is also very likely to be launched at BUILD 2015 in late April, while the stable operating system should be ready for RTM in late summer 2015 or early fall.
Microsoft will disclose more information about its Windows 10 plans next month during a press conference likely to take place on January 20 or 21, with the company also expected to unveil Windows Phone 10 and Server information.
