Analyst Says Windows 8 should be free to existing Windows users

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

An analyst from IHS says Microsoft should emulate what Apple is doing and make Windows 8 free for existing Windows users.

 

 

 

 

Read more of the story here

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-should-make-its-widely-disliked-windows-8-a-free-upgrade-ihs-7000024137/#.
 

 

 

 

[argonite]

Considering all the complaining going on, Windows 8 is too radical to be a mere service pack, and shouldn't be treated free like one either.

[Snake89]

I still won't upgrade even if it is free.

[Lord Method Man]

I got a copy for free.

 

Still not going to use it.

[fusi0n]

Considering all the complaining going on, Windows 8 is too radical to be a mere service pack, and shouldn't be treated free like one either.

ok.. But new versions of OSX have been free.  like 10.9

[Atomic Wanderer Chicken]

It would really say something if Windows 8 still didn't gain traction even though Microsoft made it free. Microsoft should make it free for 1 day and give it shot at least (1 per customer).

[Dot Matrix]

ok.. But new versions of OSX have been free.  like 10.9

And?

Microsoft and Apple have two opposite pricing schemes and even primary businesses. Apple sells hardware, while Microsoft sell software. Just because Apple can make software free, doesn't mean Microsoft can. If you upgraded, then .x upgrades will be free to you, however, upgrading from a previous release will still cost you.

[vcfan]

it will be free once ms' hardware puts oems out of business,until then, it will continue to rake in the billions on windows licenses.

[trooper11]

I'm not quite sure how MS can survive as a software company if they give it all away for free.

Apple can do it because they make their money off of hardware.

Google can do it because they make their money off advertising.

MS makes its money off software, so it can't really give it away.

So if MS did this, it would be basically bankrupting itself. Unless of course this analyst and anyone else wanting MS to do this thinks that MS should take the Google route and start relying more on advertising revenue, maybe make Win 8 ad supported.

Besides, people are saying in this thread that they wouldn't even take it if it was free, so what exactly would the point be besides harming MS further?

I will say this though, I know a lot of people that bought Win 8 when it was offered for $20 as part of the introductory offer, so its certainly true that cheaper prices can mean more sales. On the other hand, there are only so many users that buy an OS separately for their pc. Most pc users just get their OS with the pc they buy.

[McKay]

ok.. But new versions of OSX have been free.  like 10.9

 

Apple makes a tonne off you by selling you the hardware that shipped with the OS, most of your money for your PC went to the manufacturer.

[Ironman273]

8.1 is free to users of 8.  OSX is available "free" on Macs much like Windows is available for free on new PCs.  If you bought a PC with Windows 8 the upgrade to 8.1 is free, just like if you bought a Mac with Mountain Lion the upgrade to Mavericks is free.

[PGHammer]

Considering all the complaining going on, Windows 8 is too radical to be a mere service pack, and shouldn't be treated free like one either.

The analyst is thinking like the most vocal of Microsoft's critics - when a Microsoft software product becomes wildly successful, Microsoft loses the right to charge for it.

 

In this case, the product is *Windows itself* - the fact that it's 8.1 makes no difference - this same analyst would have tried to make the same argument about Windows 7.

 

And what is the MOST likely rationale for the argument?  "We're in a recession!"

 

Uh, no.  The recession is over.  Absolutely positively over.  Growth IS far slower than we would all like - however, you can stick a fork in the recession - it's done, even in Europe.

 

Second, how expensive IS a full (not upgrade) license for Windows 8.1 via the least-expensive of purchase options - System Builder?

 

In the United States, it's $129.99 before any sale pricing discounts or other discounts show up - and that is for Windows 8.1 Pro (sans Windows Media Center).  That is WORST case what anyone should be paying for a full version of Windows 8.1 - if it costs more than that, you're getting ripped off.

 

More importantly, System Builder is GLOBAL - it's not unique to North America.  If you have a source for computer motherboards near you, they - or their competition - almost certainly participates in System Builder.

 

Are there any *technical* requirements to buy via System Builder?  No - Microsoft tossed the "new hardware" requirement with Windows 8.0, and thus it never applied to 8.1.

 

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

[Athernar]

And?

Microsoft and Apple have two opposite pricing schemes and even primary businesses. Apple sells hardware, while Microsoft sell software. Just because Apple can make software free, doesn't mean Microsoft can. If you upgraded, then .x upgrades will be free to you, however, upgrading from a previous release will still cost you.

 

Not anymore they don't. As you yourself have stated in the past, Microsoft is now a "Devices and Services" company - they're not the traditional "software platforms" Microsoft of the 90s and 10s.

 

You can't have it both ways.

[trooper11]

Not anymore they don't. As you yourself have stated in the past, Microsoft is now a "Devices and Services" company - they're not the traditional "software platforms" Microsoft of the 90s and 10s.

 

You can't have it both ways.

MS does not manufacture pc hardware. They do make one piece of tablet hardware, but to compare that with what Apple does hardware wise is a stretch.

Now if MS was the sole producer of pc hardware, then MS could definitely do what Apple does.

Just because they are now a devices and services company, does not mean they will be making all of the 'devices' that run their software.

[webdev511]

Using Windows 8.1 on my home workstation/game machine and work laptop. Not even looking back and don't miss Win7 one bit.

[Athernar]

MS does not manufacture pc hardware. They do make one piece of tablet hardware, but to compare that with what Apple does hardware wise is a stretch.

Now if MS was the sole producer of pc hardware, then MS could definitely do what Apple does.

Just because they are now a devices and services company, does not mean they will be making all of the 'devices' that run their software.

 

I never said they were doing a good job of it.

 

Remember, we're talking about a Microsoft that just bought Nokia's phone division for the Lumia range. They're clearly angling for the Apple business model and have more or less stated as much.

 

Parroting the "Devices and Services" line when it suits you, and then falling back to "Microsoft is software!!!11" is twofaced.

[Clirion]

Not anymore they don't. As you yourself have stated in the past, Microsoft is now a "Devices and Services" company - they're not the traditional "software platforms" Microsoft of the 90s and 10s.

 

You can't have it both ways.

 

 

Please remind the DOJ that Microsoft can now build a complete machine and put whatever it wants on it.  :) Lawsuits would be slapped on MS so fast it would make your head spin. 

[trooper11]

I never said they were doing a good job of it.

 

Remember, we're talking about a Microsoft that just bought Nokia's phone division for the Lumia range. They're clearly angling for the Apple business model and have more or less stated as much.

 

Parroting the "Devices and Services" line when it suits you, and then falling back to "Microsoft is software!!!11" is twofaced.

Wait, so your saying that if they want to say devices and services, that means that they must control all of the hardware sold?

I get that your arguing with Dot over the words he uses, but MS has made no such claim that their intention was to push out pc oems. You guys can argue semantics all you want, but MS as a company has to work around reality. MS cannot give its pc software away for free. It just can't.

You bring up a great point that illustrates my point. MS is bringing in Nokia, which will make them the largest 'oem' for building WP hardware. Then we hear that WP and Windows RT will merge into a single product. Then we further here rumors that MS would offer this OS free to oems. The phone/tablet market is a different beast from the pc market. In the phone/tablet market, MS can still profit from those platforms even if they give the OS away for free to oems. They have a growing app market and the platform does generate ad revenue. Plus, its a market they need to keep growing in, so its a way to entice more oems to jump on board.

The desktop pc market is quite different. MS has made no claims to want in on making pcs or laptops. They also seem eager to court oems to keep building new hardware. Unlike WP though, Win 8 does not have an app market or ad revenue to offset the losses of giving their main OS away to everyone for free. The numbers just don't add up.

[firey]

Not sure it would make a difference.  I got 8 for free.. I don't use it.

[HawkMan]

ok.. But new versions of OSX have been free.  like 10.9

Except no.

MacOS has a base license included when you buy the hardware, all the versions you but after that are effectively upgrades. So no it's not free, they have released one "update" for free, like 8.1 was free to existing 8 users.

[adrynalyne]

Except no.

MacOS has a base license included when you buy the hardware, all the versions you but after that are effectively upgrades. So no it's not free, they have released one "update" for free, like 8.1 was free to existing 8 users.

And they probably released it for free BECAUSE of Windows 8.1 being free.

[Athernar]

Wait, so your saying that if they want to say devices and services, that means that they must control all of the hardware sold?

I get that your arguing with Dot over the words he uses, but MS has made no such claim that their intention was to push out pc oems. You guys can argue semantics all you want, but MS as a company has to work around reality. MS cannot give its pc software away for free. It just can't.

You bring up a great point that illustrates my point. MS is bringing in Nokia, which will make them the largest 'oem' for building WP hardware. Then we hear that WP and Windows RT will merge into a single product. Then we further here rumors that MS would offer this OS free to oems. The phone/tablet market is a different beast from the pc market. In the phone/tablet market, MS can still profit from those platforms even if they give the OS away for free to oems. They have a growing app market and the platform does generate ad revenue. Plus, its a market they need to keep growing in, so its a way to entice more oems to jump on board.

The desktop pc market is quite different. MS has made no claims to want in on making pcs or laptops. They also seem eager to court oems to keep building new hardware. Unlike WP though, Win 8 does not have an app market or ad revenue to offset the losses of giving their main OS away to everyone for free. The numbers just don't add up.

 

What? Of course they wouldn't announce their intent to force out OEMs, that would be suicide and baiting regulatory action. That's an absurd notion.

 

Nor have I said anything remotely close to "they must control all the hardware", where are you getting this stuff from?

 

Really, your entire argument is incoherent. You say that Microsoft cannot give away Windows 8, but then you later bring up the point they can still make profit from the app market and platform ad revenue. Your "It's a market they need to grow in" qualifier doesn't work either, as Windows 8's market share is also something that needs to grow.

 

I don't understand what point you're trying to make here.

[trooper11]

What? Of course they wouldn't announce their intent to force out OEMs, that would be suicide and baiting regulatory action. That's an absurd notion.

 

Nor have I said anything remotely close to "they must control all the hardware", where are you getting this stuff from?

 

Really, your entire argument is incoherent. You say that Microsoft cannot give away Windows 8, but then you later bring up the point they can still make profit from the app market and platform ad revenue. Your "It's a market they need to grow in" qualifier doesn't work either, as Windows 8's market share is also something that needs to grow.

 

I don't understand what point you're trying to make here.

I don't think you read my reply completely.

When I mentioned the app revenue and such, I was talking about the WP market, aka smartphones. You brought up the Nokia buy, so I made a point about that market, how its different from the desktop pc market.

That statement did not apply to Win 8 on the pc because there is no such market for MS to lean on.

I'll rephrase it for you:

MS cannot offer Win 8 for free because they do not have any way of off setting the losses that that would entail. That's all, nice and simple.

Anyone that thinks MS should do this then also needs to find a way for MS to cover up the billions in losses they would take.

[Athernar]

I don't think you read my reply completely.

When I mentioned the app revenue and such, I was talking about the WP market, aka smartphones. You brought up the Nokia buy, so I made a point about that market, how its different from the desktop pc market.

That statement did not apply to Win 8 on the pc because there is no such market for MS to lean on.

I'll rephrase it for you:

MS cannot offer Win 8 for free because they do not have any way of off setting the losses that that would entail. That's all, nice and simple.

Anyone that thinks MS should do this then also needs to find a way for MS to cover up the billions in losses they would take.

 

Did Microsoft remove Metro and shut down the Windows 8 Store without telling me?

 

Because 8.x has the exact same potential, moreso if the 8.2 rumors are true.

[trooper11]

Did Microsoft remove Metro and shut down the Windows Store without telling me?

Um no they didn't, did the app store on Win 8 suddenly start raking in huge revenues that could even get close to offsetting losses from OS license fees without telling me?

Last time I checked, everyone was panning the Win 8 store.