Following Office and Microsoft 365, experts predict subscriptions that a Windows subscription is on the horizon.
Experts are warning Microsoft faces an uphill battle if it attempts to force consumers into paying a subscription for Windows.
Microsoft has already managed to successfully convert Office into a subscription product and recently introduced Microsoft 365, a joint pay-as-you go model for both Office and Windows targeted at businesses.
That’s given rise to predictions that Microsoft is planning to turn Windows into a pay-monthly subscription for consumers, too. “Microsoft is on a trajectory that seems to be going more and more towards subscriptions and we might conclude that consumer subscriptions is a likely path,” Stephen White, research director at Gartner, told PC Pro.
Currently, most consumers get Windows as part of the price of their machine, with the system builder paying around $100 for a licence. “The OEMs’ side of things doesn’t necessarily fit with subscriptions and I think that those partners are extremely important to Microsoft and they wouldn’t want to compromise,” said White. “They [OEMs] would need to be on board with anything Microsoft wanted to do. It really wouldn’t want to provoke those partners to put something else on those machines.”
Microsoft declined to comment on any changes to the Windows model.
Bringing on the subs
Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av PC Pro.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av PC Pro.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 (AMD)
By no means the last word in excitement, but the ThinkPad E16 is a good-value choice for business users
Huawei MateBook D16
The best and biggest screen here, plus a powerful Core i9 processor, ensure the MateBook D16 stands out
Acer Aspire Go 14
It's tough to argue with this laptop's value for money or battery life, but speed lovers should look elsewhere
HP Spectre x360 16 (2024)
This sleek 2kg convertible packs everything you need, including a Core Ultra chip and optional Nvidia graphics
Five ways to get cloud computing wrong
Don't let your migration projects go up in smoke. Steve Cassidy runs through the blunders to avoid
Control your computer with your face and head -it's the future!
As if to show nothing is new in the world of technology, eye tracking and gesture control date back decades. But if Apple's on board, maybe their time has finally come, suggests Nicole Kobie
Chip off the old block
Standalone sales of the Z80 CPU have finally been discontinued after 48 years. David Crookes looks back on a chip with a staggering impact
Cloud backup 2024
Whether it's through attack or error, your business data is always at risk. Dave Mitchell explains how cloud services can add extra protection and puts four contenders to the test
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra
A brilliant advert for resinbased 3D printing, with a host of features that make it easy to obtain great results
HP All-in-One 27 cr-0014na PC
A speedy and temptingly priced all-in-one PC with a fine 27in display-but note its 1080p resolution