Today, in 190 countries around the world, a new OS from Microsoft is being released - Windows 10. New and ... the last. No, the history of the famous operating system does not end, it's just that now all updates, additions and fixes will come out in the form of upgrades. We asked Sergey Martsynkyan, Windows promotion manager in Russia, to explain why we should move to Windows 10.
Because it's free
The most unexpected part of the announcement is that the upgrade to Windows 10 for all legal users of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 systems will be absolutely free. “Absolutely” means you won’t have to pay not only for a fundamental upgrade on July 29, but also for all subsequent updates of the “dozens”. In other words, as long as your computer is running, you will always have the latest edition of this OS. Just think: always!
This circumstance alone should move conservative fans previous versions Windows put aside all doubts and move on to what is known to be a better and far more advanced product. By making Windows 10 free, Microsoft is unlikely to want to extend the life of the same "seven" and at some point stop supporting it, as happened with Windows XP. But then it will be more expensive to switch to the "top ten": from the day the update starts, users have only a year to do it for free. If you fail, you will have to pay.
Because here is the best thing about Windows 7 and Windows 8
The flexible interface of "dozens" creates a familiar and comfortable environment for both adherents of the good old Windows 7, and for fans of Windows 8 tiles. The choice of how your device looks and the logic of interaction with it is entirely up to you - work the way you used to. If you have a tablet, then there will be a modified G8 interface, if you have a PC, then updated interface"sevens". Moreover, if you have a tablet with a plug-in keyboard, then in laptop mode it will work with an interface in the style of Windows 7, but if you disconnect it, then in Windows mode 8/10.
And yes - the "Start" button triumphantly returned to its usual place.
Because it's always the latest version of Windows!
The time of service packs (service packs) is a thing of the past, and with them the concept of “versions” is dying. "Ten" will be the last, and further development of the system will go on its core.
It doesn't matter how Windows 10 will work and look in a few years. As long as you have the system turned on windows update, the most up-to-date edition of the OS will always be installed on the computer. So there is no point in "skip a version": whenever you decide to upgrade, you will still upgrade to Windows 10.
Because the new browser!
What is the most famous built-in application in Windows? Internet browser, of course. And in Windows 10 we are waiting for big changes: Microsoft will no longer develop Internet Explorer. It will remain in the system, but only for compatibility with corporate resources that are optimized for older versions of IE.
For everything else new browser Microsoft Edge. The epithet "new" here means - completely new. All the blocks that were responsible for supporting outdated technologies and standards were removed from the Trident engine, now surfing becomes an integral part of the intelligence of your PC. The browser interface is adapted to work with everything that is possible: not only the keyboard and mouse, but also the stylus, finger, even voice. Unique features have appeared: you can make any notes on the viewing page, and then, without leaving Microsoft Edge, send it with your own autograph in the form of a screenshot to friends and colleagues. I came across an interesting text that I have no time to read, and in one click they added it to the reading list. You will read it when the time comes, and without having to go online. And one more useful feature: quickly remove everything from the web page, except for the actual text.
Because it is convenient to work!
Windows 10 will introduce virtual desktops. This feature will be appreciated by any fan of multitasking. I suspect that most of them are. When you open many programs at once, virtual desktops allow you to organize your work with them. In addition, everything important that we usually drag onto the desktop, such as: access shortcuts to popular applications, office documents, photos, videos, etc. - all this can now be neatly laid out on visually independent sites and, if necessary, quickly found. If at some point there are too many applications and windows on the desktop, they can simply be moved to a new virtual desktop.
For the new OS, Microsoft has another surprise in store: the Office Universal Apps for Windows 10. It includes the well-known Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. These applications with basic functionality can be downloaded completely free of charge from the Windows Store and used on any of the dozens of devices: computer, tablet or smartphone. These applications are equally convenient for both touch devices and for working with them using the keyboard and mouse. All the basic functionality of working with documents or spreadsheets is present and this, I repeat, is completely free.
Windows 10 is the center of entertainment!
In Windows 10, you can not only work with a twinkle, but also revel from the heart. The most important innovation is tight integration with the X-box game console. Now your PC is ready to turn into an equal partner of the set-top box and there are countless scenarios for their interaction with each other (well, with you, of course). The dedicated Xbox app for Windows 10 brings your console's activity feed right to your desktop, laptop, or tablet. New Feature DVR allows you to shoot and edit videos on Windows device 10 just like it does on the Xbox One console.
The most interesting innovation: support for cross-platform play, when one gamer works with the Xbox One, and the other - on a regular PC. So, if you have a console owner in mind and a potential shooter or race car sparring partner, make him happy: you are in the game.
New opportunities have appeared incl. and thanks to the last DirectX versions 12, which in some components increased performance from 10 to 15 times, while reducing resource consumption by almost half. Moreover, improvements are noticeable not only in powerful computers, but also on relatively weak laptops with integrated graphics - they also began to work noticeably faster and more economically.
Because interactive!
The new OS has Windows Hello, a technology that allows the system to recognize a user by a range of biometric data - a fingerprint, an iris, and even just a face. It will be enough to sit in front of the computer so that it recognizes you and allows you to start working.
All further communication with the computer takes place according to any scenario convenient for a particular user: through traditional tools like a mouse or keyboard, using a stylus, through gestures or through voice commands.
Moreover, from now on, the management process will more and more resemble communication in the proper sense of the word. With Windows 10 comes a personal assistant - Cortana. Cortana understands natural speech, so you shouldn't act like a reciter with her, hitting all the hard distinct articulations. She is able to launch applications, open and read messages, add appointments to the calendar, write notes and reply to letters under dictation, and so on. She understands the context search queries, and thanks to this, it will find or suggest what is interesting for you. Like a diligent secretary, Cortana keeps a record of her boss's requests, analyzes his preferences, habits, and so on. This helps her every time to more accurately and sophisticatedly serve the wishes and even anticipate them. In Russia, Cortana will not appear immediately, but its arrival is a matter of the near future.
Single App Store
The main thing to know about the new Windows Store is that now a free download or purchase of an application will work on all your devices, no matter what they are, and no matter how many there are. Other computers, tablets, smartphones, game consoles - everything that works or will work on Windows 10 will become a home for every new application. No fuss with serial numbers, subscriptions, etc. Bringing a new system into working condition or moving to another device is a matter of two minutes. I pressed one button in the store, and all the applications installed themselves.
In addition, in the Windows Store it will be possible to buy not only applications, but also music, movies, etc. And again, you can watch and listen to them on all your devices - even with an Xbox in the living room, even from a tablet on a trip. Moreover, the built-in video and audio players get access directly to stores, and movies and music can be stored on the device for offline viewing.
Because everything is in sync!
Painful reinstallation-settings when migrating from device to device or when duplicating systems (another tablet, several phones, etc.) are a thing of the past. In Windows 10, you can sync all system settings across all types of devices, including your favorite desktop wallpaper. Bought new computer, entered your credentials - and soon all the settings from the old machine will “flow” to the new one. And with them, the settings of universal applications, and all your files from synchronized folders.
And on an old computer, it will be enough to press one “reset” button - and in a few minutes there will be a clean system, ready for the next owner. At the same time, the disk will be cleaned so that the data cannot be recovered.
Because there are many new devices ahead
Microsoft intends to develop Windows 10 as the system of the future. This means that she will not only inhale new life into already created devices - PCs, tablets, smartphones, game consoles - but will push hardware manufacturers to much more ambitious and specialized devices. HoloLens augmented reality glasses from Microsoft itself only mark the beginning of the Internet of things boom, when a variety of objects will massively and everywhere interact with each other in any environment where we live, work and play. According to forecasts, by 2018 there will be about 9 billion such devices worldwide. According to Microsoft, it is Windows 10 that should become an integrated platform for such information interaction. And when the inert objects equipped with sensors “come to life”, we certainly want to not stay away from progress.
Because progress!
Progress moves inexorably forward, which means: new solutions will always be better than the old ones. Especially in an industry like development software, where fantastic technologies from the news are already asking for the hands of users the very next day: well, try me in action!
New versions of Windows have always been faster, more reliable, and more convenient than older ones. Those who tried Windows 7 at one time did not return to XP, in many ways the same story was repeated in a pair of Windows 8 / 8.1 and Windows 7. And even the disputes around the Start button or the Metro tile did not raise doubts about the obvious advantage of that the same "eight" in terms of innovation, speed and performance in comparison with its predecessor.
It was possible to evaluate the revolutionary nature of each new OS from Microsoft in different ways. But for sure, everyone always expected the maximum of opportunities and convenience from her.
After all, each of us wants to feel at the forefront of progress. And Microsoft knows this weakness of ours.
Results
So, we are offered a modern Windows OS with the latest technologies, which will always be updated and will never become outdated.
With new universal applications - reliable and secure. Which are easy to find and install from the general store - just like legal movies and music.
And all this is free.
Windows 10 is a step forward. Staying put in this situation is a little scary. In the dynamic world we live in, being late can mean falling behind hopelessly.
Microsoft claims that in three years a billion users will switch to Windows 10.
Why not join this billion? At least out of curiosity: what if this is really the road to the future?
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To understand why Windows 10 does not start, you need to determine after what actions the problem arose: reinstalling programs or, removing system software or.
If the system worked stably before the problem and the black screen did not appear, then you may need to check the hardware of the device for a breakdown.
Computer won't turn on after update
In the window that opens, select the tile called "Diagnostics" and then the option "Recovery". The system will do everything for you.
Wait a while and all the missing components will be installed and the computer will restart.
If Windows did not start after diagnostics and the black screen is still present, you should roll back the updates and return to the old version of the operating system.
Microsoft developers may not have fixed the installation issue for your device yet.
To roll back the OS to a previous version, the diagnostic window mentioned above is used. Click on the diagnostics tile, then on the advanced options tab.
Start System Restore:
In the window that opens, you will see all existing restore points and the date they were created. Select the point with the current date and click "Continue".
In a few minutes, the newly installed system will be completely removed from the computer and, by restarting the computer, you will return to using the previous version of the OS.
Black screen on system boot
If the system takes a long time to boot, and you see only a black screen, you should try to restore the parameters using the diagnostic window, as described in the previous paragraph of the article.
In most cases, the system restarts and starts working successfully again. Perhaps the black screen appeared for a reason incorrect installation drivers.
A black screen at startup may be the result of a virus or spyware infection on your computer.
In this case, you should completely reinstall the operating system without saving any user files and programs, because they can transfer the virus to the new OS.
Long boot Windows 10
If volume random access memory your device is less than 2 GB, slow windows work 10 is quite normal.
Your computer hardware can't handle updated version OS.
For more comfortable work, install one of the previous versions of Windows on your computer, it will not start for a long time.
OS optimization includes the following steps:
- Removing all unnecessary programs from the autorun menu. You can view the list of software that is loaded when you turn on the computer in Explorer, to do this, open the "Startup" tab;
Press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc buttons at the same time and then to see all applications, just open the "Startup" section.
Then click on unnecessary program right click and click disable.
- Scan your computer for malware with powerful antivirus software;
- Update the store and remove unnecessary applications from it, they can run in the background and load the system;
Create a disk with a recovery version of the OS
You can only create a recovery drive using a working OS on another computer. Go to the control panel and in the search field enter the following text: "recovery disk".
Then you will see the following results. Click on the first one.
In preparation for installing Windows 10, or during the process itself, there may be issues that prevent you from completing the upgrade process. There are times when the installation freezes, interrupts, gives an error and other similar situations, which you can get out of on your own using the instructions below.
Problems before the installation of the system
To install the system, you need installation media, which is recommended to be created using the official Microsoft program. After you install it, go through the first steps with choosing the parameters and bit depth of the system, you will be prompted to choose which of the connected media to turn into installation media. The list provided by the program may not include the flash drive that you wanted to use for further Windows installation 10. This can happen for the following reasons:
- the flash drive was not properly prepared. The flash drive must be empty, formatted in FAT32 or NTFS format and have at least 4 GB of total capacity. If at least one of the parameters is not met, then the Windows 10 setup program will not see the flash drive;
- The USB port into which the flash drive is plugged is faulty, try moving it to another port and check the result, remembering to restart the program;
- restart the computer, it is possible that some incomplete operations are being performed with the flash drive, so you cannot work with it, and after restarting the device they will all be completed;
- check if the computer itself sees the flash drive, if not, then the problem and the reason lies in it;
- if all else fails, then replace the USB flash drive or use any other way to turn it into installation media, for example, download a system image and burn it manually.
Endless updates
If during the creation bootable media with the new operating system, updates are searched for indefinitely, you must close the update center:
Problems during installation
All of the following errors and problems occur during installation: freezing, interruption, incorrect process summary, etc.
The disk has an MBR partition table.
This error occurs during the selection of a disk or its partition allocated for the installation of the operating system itself. It appears because HDD formatted in a format that does not match the mode set in the BIOS. There are two ways to get rid of this error: change the operating mode in the BIOS or reformat the disk. The second option is recommended, since the default mode selected in the BIOS is the most optimal. You can reformat the disk in a standard way, but at the same time losing all data from it, or using a third-party program, while interrupting the installation process, but retaining all the information.
Error "Installing Windows on this disc impossible. The selected disk has an MBR partition table" BIOS setting changes
By default, the EFI mode is enabled in the BIOS, which only works with disks in GPT format. Since your drive is in MBR format, you will need to change the mode to Legacy. To do this, turn off the computer, start turning it on, and as soon as the first signs of loading appear, press the F11, F12 or ESC key to activate boot menu. Which of the possible buttons will be assigned in your case is described in a small footnote that appeared on the screen during the start of the download. In the drop-down list, you will need to select your flash drive, but without the prefix UEFI or EFI in the name.
We change the boot order so that the USB flash drive without UEFI and EFI is in the first place You can also change the boot order in the BIOS itself, in the Boot or "Download" section, putting the name of the flash drive without UEFI and EFI prefixes in the first place. After that, it remains only to exit the Boot Menu or BIOS, after saving the new settings. Done, you can continue installing Windows.
We put the flash drive without the UEFI and EFI prefix in the first place Changing the disk format to MBR using the standard method
Format changes will be made via command line. The disadvantage of this method is that you will have to delete all the data that is on the disks, so copy it to another medium in advance to save it.
Changing the disk format to MBR using a third-party program
To convert using a third-party program, you can use the Minitool Partition Wizard Bootable application, the image of which must be downloaded from the official website of the developer and written to a USB flash drive formatted in FAT32 format. The advantage of this method is that you don't have to delete data from the disk to convert it.
After the disk is converted to GPT format, enter the Boot Menu again and boot from installation media to return to installing Windows 10.
System won't install on SSD drive
The reason to install Windows on SSD drive does not work, most likely, is that the IDE mode is set in the BIOS instead of the required ACHI. To fix this, follow these steps:
- While turning on the computer, press the Delete key on the keyboard several times to enter the BIOS. Another button can be used to enter the settings menu, it depends on the model motherboard, but when the computer boots up, a footnote appears on the screen that will tell you how to enter the BIOS.
We enter the BIOS - After entering the BIOS, you will see either the standard BIOS or a newer UEFI version of it. There are also options for the presence of the Russian language and its absence. Sections in different versions BIOS can be called differently, so your main task is to find the mode switch from IDE to ACHI. In one version of UEFI, this is done like this: first go to the Setting section.
Go to the Settings section - Switch to additional settings.
Open advanced settings - Open the Built-in peripherals».
We enter the section "Embedded Peripherals" - In the "SATA Configuration" block, find the desired line and change the mode to ACHI. Done, it remains to exit the BIOS, saving all the changes made, and you can return to installing a new OS.
Change SATA mode to ACHI
If changing the mode did not help, then the reason can be searched for in the following parameters:
- there are several disks connected to the computer, this may cause the installation to fail, so leave only one of them and try the installation again;
- the flash drive from which the installation is being performed was formatted in NTFS format, not in FAT32 suitable for SSD drives. In this case, you need to reformat the media again and write the system image to it again;
- if none of the above helped, then try installing from a disk, sometimes this helps solve the problem.
Blue screen appears during installation
A blue screen with text and a description of the error occurs if the installer has encountered an insurmountable error and cannot continue the process. In this case, it will automatically erase everything already installed files update and roll back the system to the point where the installation procedure has not yet been started.
Installation aborted due to blue screen After the rollback is over, you can restart the installation. Perhaps this time it will be stable. If not, blue screen appeared again, you need to return to the system that already exists on the disk and delete all unnecessary applications in it and turn off all unnecessary devices connected to the computer. Most likely, the system cannot install updates correctly precisely because of third party programs and devices.
If this does not help, then copy the entire important information from the disc to third-party media, and proceed to the manual installation, during which you can delete all information from the disc. So do it, erase all data from the disk partitions and install Windows 10 on a clean partition.
Black screen appears during installation
If during the installation of the system a black screen appears, on which nothing is displayed or only the mouse cursor is displayed, then there may be several reasons for this behavior of the computer:
But before you solve the problem, just wait, perhaps the system is still performing the update process in the background. Thinking that it's time to solve the problem manually is worth it only if the black screen does not move for more than half an hour.
Driver update
- To enter safe mode, we will use the command line. To call it, return to the Windows 10 setup program again, to do this, turn off the computer by holding the Power button for 10-15 seconds, and turn it on. Once the program is open, use the key combination Shift+F10 to launch the command prompt.
Activate the command line with the combination Shift + F10 - Run the command bcdedit / set (default) safeboot network, then the command shutdown / r and, when asked, confirm the action by pressing the Enter key again. The computer will automatically restart and turn on safe mode.
We execute the commands bcdedit / set (default) safeboot network and shutdown / r - When the power-up is completed, open the device manager, find the video card in the general list and, by right-clicking on it, select "Update drivers". Go through the process automatic update or, if the computer cannot find the drivers itself, download them from the official website of the company that created the video card and install them manually.
Update video card drivers manually or automatically - After the driver update is finished, launch a command prompt with administrator rights, run the bcdedit (default) /deletevalue safeboot command to deactivate automatic start in safe mode, turn off your computer and go back to the Windows 10 upgrade process.
We execute the command bcdedit (default) / deletevalue safeboot
What to do if the installation process freezes
The installation process may hang at the following stages:
- when the Windows logo appears;
- at the stage of preparing files;
- right during the installation, when the screen shows that the process is completed by 0, 10, 99, 32% or some other percentage.
Keep in mind that the installation process can stay at one percent for up to several hours if the computer is not particularly powerful or overloaded with files. Therefore, first wait at least two hours, and only if nothing happens after that, you can proceed to manually fix the problem.
It is impossible to say unequivocally why the hang happened in your case, so check all the options that can cause the hang, one by one:
- Disconnect all unnecessary devices from the computer, leave only the keyboard, mouse and monitor connected. Also take out the extra SATA cables going to the CD port and USB stick.
- Check that the BIOS settings are correct and that the installation media format is correct. Remember that for SSD and HDD drive, BIOS and UEFI, GTP and MBR format options will be different. Somewhere you need to enable ACHI mode, and somewhere IDE, somewhere you need to format it in FAT32, and somewhere in NTFS, and so on. Based on type and format hard drive, and BIOS version, find the specifications suitable for your build on the Internet and install them.
- Before you upgrade to Windows 10, be sure to install all available updates on an already installed operating system. This can be done through the built-in Update Center program, which is present in both Windows 7 and Windows1, and older versions.
- If the installation hangs when using a USB flash drive as installation media, then try installing from a CD.
- Remember to make sure your computer meets the minimum Windows requirements 10, they are presented on the official Microsoft website.
- If it is not possible to install the system over the old, already installed, Windows, then at the step of managing hard disk partitions, format all blocks and install Windows 10 on a completely blank disk.
- If you are installing the system on a non-blank hard drive, then remove the antivirus, it may interfere with the update. Also delete all programs that make changes to the interface and other system settings of the system.
"Could not create new partition" error
When manually installing Windows, sometimes an error occurs stating that it is impossible to create or find an existing partition. It appears because there is no unallocated memory and partitions on the disk that could be given for installing the operating system. The way out of this situation is to create the necessary partitions manually. This can be done in two ways: by deleting existing partitions and creating new ones, or by shrinking existing partitions and allocating freed memory.
Error "We could not create a new or find an existing partition" Standard Method
You can delete sections and create new ones right in the same window in which you received the error.
Through the command line
Using the command line, you can not delete partitions, but compress them without losing the files that are on it.
Installation causes repeated reboot of the computer
The computer restarts during installation - this is normal, it may restart five or six times in order to correctly configure all the necessary elements. But if this operation is repeated too many times, then you need to interrupt the process manually, return to the already installed system and do the following:
Installer window does not appear
If you are faced with the fact that the installation program window does not appear for you, then follow the instructions from the paragraph "What to do if the installation process freezes" described above in the article.
The installation window did not appear after booting from a USB flash drive Device drivers not found
An error stating that device drivers were not found appears when trying to install Windows 10 for the following reasons:
- A USB0 flash drive is connected to a 3.0 port, or vice versa, a USB 3.0 flash drive is connected to a 2.0 port. Switch it to the correct port and repeat the installation.
- The system image was written incorrectly or was damaged initially. Rewrite it. It's better to use non-standard Microsoft program, and burn the image using UltraISO.
- Use a disk for installation, not a flash drive.
Bottom line: use a different media, port, or image to get rid of this error.
Errors with code when installing Windows 10
If errors occur during the installation of Windows, in the description of which there is a unique code, then the best way out in this situation is to search for a solution using this particular code. Focusing on unique number, which usually looks something like 0xc1900101, you can find a solution for your case. If it is not available on the Internet, then contact the official Microsoft support service and tell them this code, they will provide you with instructions on how to proceed.
During the installation of Windows 10, an error may appear with the code Video: problems during the installation of Windows 10 and their solution
So, if errors occur during the installation of Windows 10 or the process does not reach the end, freezes or is interrupted, then first of all you need to check the correctness BIOS settings, installation media, and hard drive. The next step is to check the computer components and their drivers. The best way out is to clean the disk by formatting and install the system on a blank partition using the official Microsoft program.
Until the end of the free upgrade period Windows 10, which will end on July 29, has three weeks left, so it is not surprising that Microsoft more and more insistently offers to go to the "top ten". From now on, users working on a computer running Windows 7 And Windows 8, began to receive full-screen reminders about the imminent end of the promotion, which lasted a year.
Until the end of the month for users of licensed operating systems Windows 7 And Windows 8 it will be possible to go to Windows 10. However, many are not yet in a hurry to take advantage of this opportunity. Both ordinary users and corporate clients wished to stay on the familiar version of "windows".
“We are not yet transferring our clients to Windows 10, because there are still some incompatibilities, plus efforts to master,” said the general manager Sabio Information Technologies Mario Santiago. It is clear that you still have to switch from previous versions OS, including popular in the business environment Windows 7. "But we're trying to delay it as long as possible," Santiago said.
CRN named 8 main reasons why you should not rush to upgrade to Windows 10.
1. Risks of incompatibility
According to Joe Balsarotti, head of Software To Go, the company has several customers whose computers spontaneously switched to Windows 10 (he called it a "forced upgrade"), and after that "something stopped working - a specialized printer or a piece of equipment." Result: "We had to roll back" to old version Windows.
2. Problems with upgrading from Windows 7Matt Tinney of Windows Management Experts, Microsoft's infrastructure and cloud system integrator, says, "Most people think that 'whatever works on Windows 8 will work on Windows 10'." “When moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10, this is not the case,” he noted.
And this, of course, is a problem, since Windows 7 is still the most common operating system. If someone is thinking of an upgrade, then you need to prepare for this. "We strongly recommend that users run a compatibility check to make sure their applications will actually work on the new OS," he said.
3. Risks of derailing projectsFor those currently in the middle of a major project, moving to Windows 10 isn't the smartest move. Even if there are no compatibility issues, the upgrade will at least take time, including to complete all the settings for the new operating system. “This is not the best time for an organization or a user who is in a hurry to complete an ongoing project,” says Balsarotti.
4. Time to master"You'll have to retrain" on Windows 10, Balsarotti warns. “It doesn't matter what they say. Familiar things change and you have to work with them differently,” he said. And this is a particularly acute problem for "really serious users." “To change anything in the way of working, it infuriates them,” said Balsarotti.
5. Stuck during update
Some computers, when upgrading to Windows 10, may get stuck in the middle of the process, while not giving the opportunity to roll back to the previous version of the OS. Don't believe? Search on Google.
6. Imaginary securityMicrosoft says the main point of upgrading to Windows 10 is a new level of security, says Adaptiva founder and chief technology officer Deepak Kumar. But no one said that Windows 7 was not secure, and Microsoft will continue to support and send out updates until early 2020.
I decided to do it in several stages, because if everyone started downloading at the same time, it would become a serious problem for the company's servers.
At the same Windows time 10 is intended to be a transitional product for Microsoft in changing the earnings model. If earlier the company from Redmond earned on the sale of physical copies of its products, then in the future the main source of income should be the sale of services. That is why the Windows 10 update system will consist of small data packages that will add new features to the system. Current operating systems from Microsoft receive global updates in the form of service packs.
At the same time, the company plans to support Windows 10 until 2025.
Support itself will be divided into two stages. Until 2020 Windows 10 will receive new features, and after that the company plans to send out only "patches" aimed at improving the security of the system. All these Microsoft updates will try to distribute to the maximum possible number of devices.
In total, the company hopes that at some point Windows 10 will be installed on more than one and a half billion computers, tablets and smartphones around the world. And it is precisely the rejection of the upgrade fee, according to Microsoft, that will make the system so massive. Thanks to this, the company will be able to distribute the new OS as widely as possible and “attach” users to their products.
Google and Apple are already working on a similar model, but their business is largely limited to mobile operating systems. At the same time, Microsoft has already tested the mechanism of selling subscription services on its Office products. In addition to regular boxed licenses, the company also sells an annual subscription to Office 365. new version the user will only need to download it, and the subscription will be transferred from the previous version.
Microsoft will have to earn in three key areas: providing access to cloud storage Azure technology, enterprise licenses, and office suites.
These strategy changes come against the backdrop of falling PC sales, and for this reason, Microsoft does not expect to make a long-term profit from sales of licenses for "boxed" versions of the system, because they will fall after computer sales. For the same reason, the company organized the integration of all its products on single system: Windows 10 will get both PCs and tablets, smartphones, microcomputers, HoloLens augmented reality glasses, and even the Xbox One game console.
As a result operating system already ceases to be an independent product, but is only an integral part of the device.
And in this case, a separate sale of the system no longer looks logical. For the same reason, Microsoft decided to independently enter the market mobile devices with the Surface and Lumia lines.
At the same time, it cannot be argued that Microsoft is completely abandoning the Windows sales model. Indeed, in addition to the free update, the company will also offer traditional "boxed" licenses for those who still have old version Windows (only owners of Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 will receive the update), or those who want to install the system on a new PC.
However, as Microsoft Vice President Terry Maerson said, Windows 10 will be the last Windows version for which you will need to pay.
Thus, starting with the next version of the system, the company is going to abandon the earnings on the OS and focus on making a profit from other products that Windows will push to use.
