chrisj1968 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 computerworld link Free Windows? Not a chance No 'loss leader,' says Microsoft COO; Windows 10 slated for release in late summer, early fall 2015 Microsoft last week doused speculation that it would make Windows free across the board. "We've not had any conversations [about] Windows 10 being a loss leader for us," Kevin Turner, Microsoft's chief operating officer, said at a technology conference sponsored by Credit Suisse on Thursday. "[but] we've got to monetize it differently. There are additional opportunities for us to bring additional services to the product and do it in a creative way." Turner was short on specifics, but spelled out in general terms those opportunities, saying that new business models will allow the company "to monetize the lifetime of that customer" by selling them services and what he called "add-ons." Most analysts have assumed that Microsoft will continue to expand its Windows-for-free practices to keep customers within its ecosystem, then sell them other products, including services and subscriptions, to make up the Windows revenue decline. Microsoft already gives away its Windows Phone OS and Windows 8.1 for devices with screens 9-in. and smaller, even subsidizes Windows 8.1 for OEMs' ultra-low-priced laptops. In fact, Turner boasted of that strategy's effectiveness Thursday, calling out both inexpensive tablets and cheap notebooks, like Hewlett-Packard's HP Stream line. The latter relies on the subsidized Windows 8.1 for its $199 starting price. "You're seeing $200 laptops, you're seeing $99 Windows tablets, embracing and extending the ecosystem by lighting up some of these new business-model scenarios, allowing us to monetize the lifetime of that customer through services and different add-ons." Turner said. Turner's dismissal of Windows as a "loss leader," however, won't preclude specific moves, especially on the consumer side that could include free upgrades to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1, or as a longer shot, from Windows 7, as well. But he implied that Microsoft will continue to charge OEMs for Windows licenses in most cases, its effort to crush Chromebooks with a underwritten-by-search OS notwithstanding. OP note: I read this article, hopefully the same one I saw on my lumia 635 today. But computerworld is of the mindset that MSFT needs to get away with the pricing models for windows. does charging for windows at the consumer level make sense? we are such a small fraction of the market anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dot Matrix Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 What? Why are you posting older articles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam14160 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Not only old, albeit totall FUG. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praetor Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 not only old but junk as well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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