Microsoft's pricing details schedule reveals that they plan to announce how much us ordinary consumers will have to pay for the next version of their operating system in mid-June, according to details seen by Tech ARP.Whilst earlier this month Microsoft finally confirmed that Windows 7 is on target to be released in time for the holiday season this year it is yet to reveal any details of the pricing for the different editions. Whether Windows 7 is indeed launched on October 15, October 23 or some other date entirely, around about now seems like a good time to announce how much the next version of Windows will set you back.
According to the NDA schedule on Tech ARP, OEMs are already aware of how much it will cost them to install on new systems and retailers have also been informed of how much the boxed editions will cost them to sell. This seems to have been confirmed by Dell who have already revealed they know that "the licensing tiers at retail are more expensive than they were for Vista," and that they fear that the cost will be quite a major obstacle for consumers.
The schedule details give the announcement date as just a few weeks from now in mid-June, although is not any more specific than that. If the prices of Windows 7 will be more that Windows Vista's then it seems that a leaked pricing list published - then quickly retracted - by Ars Technica a few months ago may not have been correct. However, if you are a student don't forget that any pricing details may be irrelevant to you as there are several ways with which you should be able to get Windows 7 at a discount or even completely for free, as we detailed earlier this year.
They're not stupid, charge less, and sell more copies, anyone can see that's the way to go.
agree 100%, this launch will fail retail wise. people will buy oem copies or a new pc with it preloaded.
You misjudge human nature. Most people see a "more expensive" version as "better" version.
They just want to keep Windows 7 positioned above Vista.
I agree. Its insane how Microsoft thinks they can charge an arm and a leg for their software. Especially in this recession. They are fools if they think it will be a big seller, but I'm sure they will lie about the numbers.
There are millions and millions of people unemployed, record setting numbers. And Microsoft still has no heart. If they can afford to give it free to students, then they can afford to give it at a MUCH lower price to everyone else. There is no way I would pay the prices linked to in this article.
There are millions and millions of people unemployed, record setting numbers. And Microsoft still has no heart. If they can afford to give it free to students, then they can afford to give it at a MUCH lower price to everyone else. There is no way I would pay the prices linked to in this article.
Are you really surprised. I'm not!. That's why I have switched 100 % to Linux (Ubuntu) a while ago. No more activation to worry about, or licensing crap to deal with, and no more costly upgrades etcc. I know there had to be a catch somewhere. Everything about Windows 7 was talked about, except one important thing. Price!. Now that a leak gets out. The cat is sort of out of the bag. They may change it, but it won't be given away. Even to Vista users. Their a business. Sure were in bad times. So an increase will be their excuse to recover from what they lost with Vista and still make a profit. They can care less about your finances.
There are millions and millions of people unemployed, record setting numbers. And Microsoft still has no heart. If they can afford to give it free to students, then they can afford to give it at a MUCH lower price to everyone else. There is no way I would pay the prices linked to in this article.
As for giving it to students cheaper. Clearly thats a ploy to get students working on the OS from an early age so that when they get older they will pay more to continue using a system they are familiar with. The same reason they offer MSDNAA subscriptions so software engineering students get the tools to develop for MS platforms for free to encourage continued development in the field.
And anyway, Vista cost me as much as XP did and I'm sure Windows 7 will be much the same. If people are so financially hard off at the moment then they should be looking to invest in other things besides an OS upgrade for a system thats probably working fine for the individual.
There are millions and millions of people unemployed, record setting numbers. And Microsoft still has no heart. If they can afford to give it free to students, then they can afford to give it at a MUCH lower price to everyone else. There is no way I would pay the prices linked to in this article.
The prices linked are for the Full Version, or what I like to call the pointless version. 99% of people out there can either buy the upgrade version (normally $100 less) or the OEM version. I honestly don't see a price increase, those prices are the same as the full versions of Vista.
you don't need to, if you have a valid license key you can just download a copy online and it would be legal.
I wouldn't expect Microsoft to lower the prices on their operating systems just because Vista was a failure.
Vista and OSX...you're comparing apples to oranges.
Agreed and to add further that a System Builders Pack (OEM) license is even cheaper than that for a full install of Vista Home Premium. Newegg, for example sells Vista HP for $99 in a System Builders Package. You no longer have to buy hardware to get those savings due to the change in packaging so these savings are available to any PC owner who is willing to provide their own support and are not planning to move the license to a new PC.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16832116488
The break-even point between buying a new OEM licence for each motherboard, a retail box copy you can take with you, using Newegg prices:
Vista Home Basic: 2.11 motherboards ($189.99 vs. 89.99)
Vista Home Premium: 2.25 motherboards (224.99 vs. 99.99)
Vista Ultimate: 1.65 motherboards (284.99 vs. 174.99)
That's fairly obscene. If anything, you'd think they'd PREFER if you took your old license with you-- because that keeps the old PC's license (sold with the machine) off the market-- where it's likely to be sold at fire-sale prices.
The break-even point between buying a new OEM licence for each motherboard, a retail box copy you can take with you, using Newegg prices:
Vista Home Basic: 2.11 motherboards ($189.99 vs. 89.99)
Vista Home Premium: 2.25 motherboards (224.99 vs. 99.99)
Vista Ultimate: 1.65 motherboards (284.99 vs. 174.99)
That's fairly obscene. If anything, you'd think they'd PREFER if you took your old license with you-- because that keeps the old PC's license (sold with the machine) off the market-- where it's likely to be sold at fire-sale prices.
I've upgraded my video, RAM, and CPU with OEM Vista HP and haven't had a problem. You can just call Microsoft and tell them you replaced a component if they ask. The OEM licenses are restricted because they're cheaper.
That's your best comeback?
Wouldn't be surprised if someday the upgrade validation includes a check to confirm the old OS is still on the hardware it's locked to.
Wouldn't be surprised if someday the upgrade validation includes a check to confirm the old OS is still on the hardware it's locked to.
Well, personally I'd favour eliminating the upgrade product altogether. It's clumsy and annoying, and you could take the old OS and dump it on a spare PC.
MacOSX is far from being a failure.
I think in first 6 or 8 months from the launch, Windows 7 prices will stay higher than today's Vista's prices.
oh well, high price or not i'm buying it, well worth it considering i had been using MS products for free up until 2006 lol, i kind of owe them $300
oh well, high price or not i'm buying it, well worth it considering i had been using MS products for free up until 2006 lol, i kind of owe them $300
Your never going to kick OSX or Linux out of the picture. Your dreaming to much!. Companies like ILM, Yahoo, etc.. depend allot on Linux, FreeBSD and MacOSX. They are Windowless companies. Heck even NASA depends on Linux for mission critical items. Apart from price, (yes they are free, except OSX), there are things that Unix based operating systems do way better than Windows. The only way you will ever kick Linux and MacOSX out is to make Windows open source and for free as in bear!. And that will never happen.
7 is much faster & better than ubuntu and i use ubuntu as well on occasion. my father in law also will wait until the 1st service pack comes out to buy it. i think most here will go with cheap oem copies anyways.
Great job inculcating trust, Microsoft!
Retail sales hardly make a dent in comparison to OEM sales, so this nonsense that a raise in the price of Windows is going to keep people from buying a new PC is utter garbage and pure FUD being spread by ABMers.
I would also like to think that even if OEM prices do rise, that doesn't stop Microsoft from offering lower prices on upgrades.
I know what my criteria were in picking Vista Ultimate: it had to have Media Centre, and it had to be able to register in a domain. Ultimate was my only choice.
With Win7, Ultimate is really going to be the consumer version of "Enterprise". It will contain encryption and remote access features that will appeal to those who need access to corporate networks, but I see nothing in Ultimate that looks compelling for most consumers.
Frankly, Windows is "worth" whatever anyone's willing to pay for it, no more, no less.
Just like any other salable good.
Agreed that a portion of Microsoft's OS sales comes from OEM domination, but it's going to be a whole lot tougher with two of their just-over-the-corner OSs in the market not ending up competing with each other!
Everybody likes a new toy to fiddle with. You got a hands-on Windows 7 with the BETA and RC, maybe you decided it was worth upgrading at some point, but again -- just as millions of PCs get added to the market every year, there are existing billions of PCs out there which (let alone the hardware compatibility issues, that's a different topic) are 'working' out there! There isn't going to be a huge, colossal wave of Windows® Upgrades dooming over the Earth anytime -- unless it's for a reason. (You know.. the UN's WHO telling people they could savagely kill themselves while using Vista™. How likely is that?)
So at the end of the day, the pricing of the icing over a pre-tasted cake doesn't count as a surge of anxiety, but as a mere speculation of what the Redmond's software giant has been doing for years: manipulating.
"The world's most pirated Operating System"
I was going to legally order windows 7 but after reading this post, i'm just not sure.
If it's on the same level as the prices for vista was then that's bad in my view but, if it's higher than vista then that's just taking the ****.
Then again. Ain't it about time Microsoft stopped ****ing us about and just do one release of windows 7 that would cost £100
In this economic climate; £100 is cheap and it's logic that if something is cheap then people will buy it in multiply's. However if it's needed and cheap then people will buy more.
You'll end up making more because all those who pirated Vista will buy windows 7 (including me) so you'll make more than before.
Microsoft, if you're reading this, then read very closely.
IF Windows 7 is more than vista was then I will pirate it. Windows 7 will become the most pirated Windows OS is history due to priving, surely you don't want that?
People won't buy more because as mentioned people DON'T have any need to. They have a finite number of computers and thus there is a finite demand per each individual. This isn't candy...selling it cheaper won't see users going out and buying half a dozen extra copies just because they can afford it.
As for the piracy threats...do people think MS seriously isn't aware? How many hundreds or thousands of employees do they have already that pirate or know people that pirate films, media ect. I don't think they need reminding.
I'm sure their marketing crew would have lowered the price a decade ago if it was going to be more profitable for them to sell X amount more copies at Y amount less of the price.
And even if they do lower the price by half, people will still pirate it anyway...it's unavoidable. Hell, if it was offered for free people would still obtain it via illegal channels.
I fully expect MS to keep the prices affordable for Windows 7 for a few reasons.
>The current economic climate
>They're desperate to leave Vista behind
>They're desperate for people to upgrade from XP
Basically MS want to move on and i don't think they'll set the price for 7 artificial high, they've really got so much right with this release so far i can't see them messing this up.
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