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Windows 10: Microsoft Ends Free Upgrade In July, Confirms Cost Of Home & Pro Versions

By Inquisitr Staff
Published on: 04:05 PST, May 6, 2016

The Windows 10 free upgrade will reportedly end in July. Microsoft also recently announced the cost of a full version of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro after the free upgrade expires, according to Express on Friday.

Windows 10 has been free for consumer download since July 2015. Microsoft introduced Windows 10 to address some of the shortcomings users faced with Windows 8.

Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 as a demo in 2014 and then released a beta version for public testing in October 2014 before finally releasing it to consumers on July 29, 2015.

The interface of Windows 10 is more user-friendly with the virtual desktop back as the default Windows start-up screen as well as the return of the Start menu that Windows 8 was lacking.

Windows 10 is so much more user-friendly than Windows 8 that it’s now running on 300 million Windows devices worldwide, according to InformationWeek on Friday. This number includes downloads to Windows-based desktop PCs, smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles.

Microsoft confirmed the updated total number of free Windows 10 downloads on May 5. This number actually went up a staggering 100 million downloads in just a few short months. In January, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 was active on only 200 million devices.

By July 2018, Microsoft is hoping that at least one billion devices will be running on Windows 10. But after July 29, users will have to pay full price to download Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro.

The free upgrade for Windows 10 is ending on July 29. Microsoft is actively urging consumers to take advantage of the Windows 10 free upgrade in the next few remaining weeks.

After the year-long free Windows 10 upgrade promotion ends on July 29, the cost of downloading full versions of Windows 10 will set consumers back by hundreds of dollars depending on location.

Microsoft Corporation, based out of Redmond, Washington, plans to charge U.S. consumers $119 to download the home version of Windows 10 and $199 to download the pro version.

The U.K. price for upgrading to Windows 10 after July 29 will be £99.99 for Windows 10 Home and £130 for Windows 10 Pro, while Australian Windows users are looking at paying $161.10 in Australian dollars for Windows 10 Home and $270.50 in Australian dollars for Windows 10 Pro.

Microsoft is urging consumers to take advantage of the Windows 10 free upgrade while it lasts, saying those who go ahead and upgrade will get free Windows 10 updates for life, which will include the Anniversary Edition update coming this summer.

Express reported back on April 26 that the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, also known as RedStone, will include a newly designed Start menu, as well as an introduction of Windows Ink that allows for handwritten notes via sticky notes or a virtual white board.

“Cortana can also scan handwritten notes and parse it for information, including reminders, event locations, and dates.

“Microsoft apps that support Windows Ink during this early stage of its development include Edge, Maps, and Office.”

Some Microsoft Windows users may remain hesitant to make the switch over to Windows 10. These same users still have not upgraded to Windows 8, preferring to stick with Windows XP instead, even though Windows XP no longer receives support or updates from Microsoft.

Still yet, some users who have already upgraded to Windows 10 say the new operating system is “buggy and ugly” compared to older versions of Windows, while Windows 10 has actually made some users abandon Windows completely for the Apple Macintosh operating system.

“Windows 10 finally made me make the leap over to Mac. And I love it,” according to one dissatisfied former Microsoft customer.

In fact, according to Microsoft author Paul Thurrott, Microsoft may actually face a potential extinction thanks to new capabilities and improvements in Android and iOS.

Thurrott explained on Thursday that Microsoft is facing increased competition from rival Google and Apple operating systems.

“This is a potential extinction moment, with Android and iOS playing the role of the asteroid that is hurtling to earth to kill off the Windows dinosaurs.”

Loyal Windows users who would like to see Microsoft stick around for the long-term can at least show some support by taking Microsoft’s urgent advice to upgrade to the Windows 10 operating system now while it’s still free. The Get Windows 10 pop-up notification will officially go away after July 29.

[Image via T.Dallas/Shutterstock.com]

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