Microsoft says that Windows 8.1 -the first major update to it’s
radically altered operating system, will arrive as a free update to
existing users on October 18. The new update focuses on a handful of
substantial improvements to its touch-friendly user interface, such as
improved multitasking and a better Start screen.
More importantly, this update will mark a lot of firsts for Microsoft.
Windows 8.1 will be the first annual, incremental update to add new
features to Windows, and it will be the first time new features will be
added for free. Although the company has previously issued “Service
Pack” updates for Windows, those mostly consisted of bug fixes and
security updates. There are good reasons for Microsoft’s new approach to
updates.
The old strategy made sense in the era of CD-ROMs, but software
updates can now more consistently and effectively reach consumers via
the internet. It makes sense to roll out upgrades and improvements when
they’re ready, instead of waiting for a huge release every three to five
years. And since Microsoft is pushing towards becoming more of a
devices and services company, it needs to hold more tightly the Windows 8
experience.
The easiest way to get people on board with that? Give updates away
for free. It may seem odd that Microsoft is just handing out its
market-dominating PC operating system for free, when even Apple still
charges for OS X. But times are changing. Mobile OS updates are always
free, and Microsoft built Windows 8 to work just as well on a tablet as
on a desktop. Charging for an incremental update would deter a large
subset of Windows 8 users from bothering with the update at all.
Instead, when October 18 rolls around, Windows 8 users will have
little reason to avoid the prompt to update its system software. It will
make computing easier for everyone.
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