14 DAY TRIAL // As I reported to you a few hours ago, Microsoft is planning to launch a technical preview of Windows 9 sometime next month or in early October in order to provide users with an early glimpse at the next version of the operating system.
Now, in an update to the original story, Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley adds, again via unofficial sources, that the Windows 9 technical preview will be “public and available to all those interested,” which means that Redmond won’t offer the download only to developers and testers.
What’s more interesting, however, is that this could also be an indication that Windows 9 preview could be offered free of charge to everyone, even though it’s not yet clear whether Microsoft wishes to include any trial period or not.
Based on the information we have at this point, it appears that this isn’t the case, as Microsoft reportedly wants to keep the original testing build running on all computers and deliver frequent updates as it advances with development work.
The company thus wants to avoid releasing new builds for download every once in a while and ship new features and optimizations via Windows Update, just like it’s the case with existing Windows versions already available to customers.
Of course, take everything with a pinch of salt, but if this information is real, expect Microsoft to break the news on Windows 9 anytime soon.