14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is considering a possible price increase for its Windows licensing plans, and high-end PCs could be the ones in the company’s crosshairs for this move, according to a report.
Digitimes writes that Microsoft wants to charge more for systems equipped with powerful hardware configurations, though a decision in this regard hasn’t yet been made.
Following revised licensing plans announced last year and based on CPU configurations, Microsoft wants to introduce new changes that would adjust how much OEMs have to pay depending on a series of other components, such as displays and memory. This means that manufacturers of high-end devices coming with an OLED display, a large amount of RAM, and a latest-generation processor would have to pay more to install Windows on its systems.
Higher device prices for top configurations
No specifics are available at this point, but the cited source says this is likely to “put further pressure on notebook makers,” as most of them are already struggling with increasing component costs.
In the end, Microsoft’s new approach could lead to higher prices for customers, as OEMs might try to compensate for the increasing costs for parts and the more expensive Windows licensing with a price hike for the device when it hits the shelves.
It looks like an announcement in this regard is on the table after the second quarter, which means that Microsoft could adjust licensing plans after the Redstone 4 update, also known as Spring Creators Update, becomes broadly available to customers worldwide. The first devices running Windows 10 Spring Creators Update are expected to see daylight in a couple of months, shortly after the rollout of the OS begins in the first half of April.
Microsoft hasn’t commented on the report, the source says, and a healthy dose of skepticism is required for the time being until we hear a word from the software giant.