With Free Version of Windows, Microsoft Gives In to the Google Way

[Twirlywoos]

Microsoft is slowly transforming itself into something that looks a lot like Google.

It’s not just that Microsoft is very much a player in web search, after five years at the helm of Bing. It’s not just that the tech giant is betting big on cloud computing with services like Office 365 and Windows Azure. Microsoft, it seems, is also following in the footsteps of Google operating systems such as Android and Chrome OS. Last week, The Verge reported that Redmond is preparing a free version of Windows 8.1, its latest operating system for desktop and laptop PCs.

Google offers free OSes to computer and phone makers as a way of driving the use of its search engine and countless other web services, and now, Microsoft is at least experimenting with the idea of doing much the same thing. According to the report, its free operating system is known as Windows 8.1 With Bing. As the name implies, the OS is meant to feed the use of Microsoft’s own search engine, as well as other Microsoft cloud services and software applications.

It’s also the surest sign yet that Microsoft realizes it must significantly reduce the price of its Windows OSes in order to compete in the modern world, where free OSes are everywhere. Even Apple now lets you upgrade to the next version of its desktop OS for free. For decades, much of Microsoft’s revenue has come from its desktop and mobile operating systems, but it’s now willing to give up on at least some of these OS revenues to ensure that its software stays relevant.

Windows 8.1 with Bing is just one example. Other reports indicate that Microsoft will drastically reduce OS licensing prices for low-end laptops and that it’s considering free versions of its phone and tablet operating systems as well.

This apparent shift in philosophy is certainly the best way for Microsoft to compete for a place on desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets. The question is whether Microsoft is nimble enough to give up at least some of its Windows revenues — which have been so important to its business for so long — and then make up for the drop with ad revenues and subscriptions, the stuff that has long fueled the Google empire but that Microsoft has traditionally been less comfortable with.

http://www.wired.com/business/2014/03/microsoft-turns-into-google/

Long article. More in the link

 

[Caged]

Typically bad Wired article. Apple and Microsoft's OS pricing have nothing to do with each other, as Microsoft doesn't make the industry's largest profits when they sell a laptop.

The Google Method only makes sense if you are going to use your OS to drive people to your online services where you sell advertising which makes them profitable. They can't en-masse lock people to Bing when Windows is still the dominant desktop platform, because the EU will come knocking again.

The problem with making the consumer OS pricing dirt cheap is that it's very hard to not leave your corporate volume license customers feeling ripped off, when they have to buy OEM licences with the machines and then license the OS upgrade on top, and pay for ongoing Software Assurance.

 

[lsg1r]

As dreadful as the article is I can actually see a 'market' for the free os in developing countries and in businesses or schools.

If they can convert the os into more of a chromebook with added features I think ms could do well with corporations, they already have all the online features in office, onedrive, azure etc and they've done thin clients for years.

Most corporations rarely need more than office to do internet (large percentage still use ie in business) word processing/powerpoints etc and so something like this could work well especially if it has all the 'business networking' requirements.

Will they do something like the above, can't see it but I think it would be better than an os laced with bing advertisements... just look back at the free office 2010 (iirc) with it's adverts

 

[KIA]

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18584036