Windows 10 subscriptions aren't happening. Here's why

Winuser · 08 Feb 2016

Jody Thornton said:

What I figured was going to happen was that the system builds would be issued to a point (where say for example a MAJOR change was going to happen). Then they might charge $40 or $50 to move to the new version, but updates and support would be provided for awhile (maybe one year) for the old release.

At a certain point, you might need to change out hardware (perhaps a new CPU would require support or a new system bus). I guess I figured it was going to be a carbon copy of the Mac OSX model.

That's the way I see it happening. If MS does decide to charge for Windows as a Service I hope MS is only going to charge for upgrades to the OS as more features are added or to keep up with hardware changes. If they try to charge a monthly or yearly fee just to continue to use Windows 10, then I would consider going back to a earlier version of Windows on my computers that didn't come pre-installed with Windows 10. On my newer computers if the price was to high to continue to use Window 10 I would try to find a full version of Windows 7 or 8.1. I would even consider going back to Linux. (Putting on my tin hat) I still have a bad feeling about MS's push to get everyone on Windows 10.

lehnerus2000 · 09 Feb 2016

MS could easily get away with a subscription fee and I suspect many people would accept it, if it worked like phones (i.e. the fee includes a "free" PC).

larc919 · 09 Feb 2016

Winuser said:

I still have a bad feeling about MS's push to get everyone on Windows 10.

So do I. Hopefully it won't turn out to be a Trojan Horse. But one thought back when I first heard Win10 would be free was, "Beware of Microsoft bearing gifts."

orlbuckeye · 10 Feb 2016

BunnyJ said:

Then why have a subscription when I can easily go out and purchase a copy of 10 and transfer it as much as I like to any new PC?? Home would be around 110 dollars and that's a one time fee.. wouldn't a subscription be an annual charge?? And if I don't use office or OneDrive why should I have to pay for them??

Well you can't transfer as much as you want. If you buy OEM windows its not transferable at all. It would even require you to purchase a new copy of WIndows 10 if you upgraded your motherboard. The retail version of WIndows allows you to transfer to another machine as long as you don't continue to use it on the old machine. In other words 1 license per machine and not transferrable while still in use. They are talking about a Windows subscription not Office. When you get Office Onedrive is required to store you data. Onedrive isn't required if you have WiIndows but it's available for free with limited storage space.

BunnyJ · 10 Feb 2016

orlbuckeye said:

Well you can't transfer as much as you want. If you buy OEM windows its not transferable at all. It would even require you to purchase a new copy of WIndows 10 if you upgraded your motherboard. The retail version of WIndows allows you to transfer to another machine as long as you don't continue to use it on the old machine. In other words 1 license per machine and not transferrable while still in use. They are talking about a Windows subscription not Office. When you get Office Onedrive is required to store you data. Onedrive isn't required if you have WiIndows but it's available for free with limited storage space.

I don't intend to get an OEM version of 10 and I'm aware of the limitation of running a retail copy of 10 on one PC at a time.

And I still would not want 10 as a subscription service.

orlbuckeye · 10 Feb 2016

lehnerus2000 said:

MS could easily get away with a subscription fee and I suspect many people would accept it, if it worked like phones (i.e. the fee includes a "free" PC).

Only problem with that is MS only makes the Surfaces. The OEM's make all the other devices. The phone service providers don't make alot on the phones they make it on the data.

orlbuckeye · 10 Feb 2016

BunnyJ said:

I don't intend to get an OEM version of 10 and I'm aware of the limitation of running a retail copy of 10 on one PC at a time.

And I still would not want 10 as a subscription service.

I don't want a subscription either. You get the OEM when you buy a new PC. There are no more upgrades once you get to Windows 10. MS hasn't announced what will happen with upgrades after the year is over. Currently you can only purchase the full install (clean) which is would be to replace OS's older then WIndows 7 or a new systems and the OEM is way cheaper. The upgrade is free and you can do a clean install forever so there is no need to buy Windows 10.

The only was MS will ever offer a subscription was if the offered a one time cost also and the users had a choice. Thats the only way it would be profitable for MS to do it.

BunnyJ · 10 Feb 2016

orlbuckeye said:

I don't want a subscription either. You get the OEM when you buy a new PC. There are no more upgrades once you get to Windows 10. MS hasn't announced what will happen with upgrades after the year is over. Currently you can only purchase the full install (clean) which is would be to replace OS's older then WIndows 7 or a new systems and the OEM is way cheaper. The upgrade is free and you can do a clean install forever so there is no need to buy Windows 10.

The only was MS will ever offer a subscription was if the offered a one time cost also and the users had a choice. Thats the only way it would be profitable for MS to do it.

I build my PC's

lx07 · 10 Feb 2016

orlbuckeye said:

The only was MS will ever offer a subscription was if the offered a one time cost also and the users had a choice. Thats the only way it would be profitable for MS to do it.

Well not really. They could just completely stop selling perpetual licenses. You would buy a new OEM machine with only a trial version of Windows and have to get the subscription or use some other OS.

I'm not saying they would (it would be an odd thing to do if you want to grow/retain market share) but they certainly could if they felt like it was a good idea.

jimbo45 · 11 Feb 2016

orlbuckeye said:

Only problem with that is MS only makes the Surfaces. The OEM's make all the other devices. The phone service providers don't make alot on the phones they make it on the data.

Hi there

slightly OT - but since "Locking Phones" is now illegal in Europe it really makes ZERO sense to purchase a monthly phone subscription --you are Much better off with some decent pay as you go plans -- typical subscriptions on phones cost MORE than an upfront payment after about 10 - 14 months - and you might also be able tp source the phone cheaper.Sim cards can be used in all phones now irrespextive of Operator. When you needed to upgrade a phone every year there might have been some sense in a monthly subscription - but now it doesn't really make sense any more - especially if decent wifi is universally available. With Wifi you don't need to use "Data plans" on the phone !!!! that is still usually HIDEOUSLY overpriced - especially with rediculous monthly usage like 500MB or 1 GB. Use the Wifi on your hanset - it's usually free.

Cheers
jimbo