Microsoft is definitely on the right track to become ‘cool’ again, as its recent moves have showed. We just shared the news that Xiaomi will partner with Microsoft to test Windows 10 on its Mi4 and here’s another hard to believe one – users of pirated versions of Windows will be able to upgrade to Windows 10, as well. And the shocker is that they will do so totally free!
Reuters reports that the announcement was made during the WinHEC technology conference in Shenzhen, China. Terry Myerson, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Operating Systems, said the following:
We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10. We plan to “re-engage” with the hundreds of millions of users of Windows in China
Thus, ‘anyone with a qualified device can upgrade to Windows 10’, and as the system requirements are quite low, this means millions of users will make the jump to Windows 10. Speaking to TheVerge, a Microsoft representative also added this:
We believe customers over time will realize the value of properly licensing Windows and we will make it easy for them to move to legitimate copies.
As hard as Microsoft didn’t try in the past to protect its most profitable product, it has now to the conclusion that it must let go and just accept the fact that there are so many out there who will continue to use pirated versions. However, at the moment, it’s pretty hard to say which is going to be Microsoft’s revenue model with Windows 10. We’ll just have to wait and see.
As you probably know, Microsoft is also offering free Windows 10 upgrades to those running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1. Lately, it seems that there’s a lot of free in Microsoft’s offerings, which can only be a good thing for customers. So, when Windows 10 becomes available “this summer” in 190 countries all over the world, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t give it a try.
