Microsoft Corporation launched its latest operating system — Windows 10 — on Wednesday, announcing that it will be available as a free upgrade for qualifying individuals or as pre-installed software on new PCs. Companies will have to pay for their version.
Windows 10, which was launched in 190 countries, will be available on a range of devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, Raspberry Pi, Xbox One, and HoloLens, the company said in a press release on Wednesday.
This comes at a time when Microsoft is having to compete with the smartphone market and less than a month after the company had to write off its $7.6 billion acquisition of Nokia as a mistake. According to the BBC, Microsoft Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, said, that he hoped the multi-platform capabilities of Windows 10 would be an incentive for developers to design software for the system and make Microsoft devices attractive for users.
The new operating system comes with several new or modified features, including Cortana, a personal digital assistant, Microsoft Edge, which replaces Internet Explorer as the default browser, and an integrated Xbox app, which allows users to keep tabs on their Xbox friends list and activity. Windows 10 also includes a Phone Companion app to help integrate user experience with iPhones, Android and Windows phones.
The new Windows version has been released after testing it with customers, through Microsoft’s Insider programme and will enable users to interact with it via voice, pen and gesture inputs. “We are entering a new era of Windows. For the first time, we built Windows 10 alongside our customers — the feedback of more than 5 million Windows Insiders helped shape Windows 10. The response from Insiders in India has been overwhelming as well and we are excited to be bringing Windows 10 to India,” Vineet Durani, Director, Windows Business Group, Microsoft India, said.
Users of genuine versions of Windows 7 or 8.1 for PCs or tablets, who have registered for upgrades, started receiving their free upgrade installations on Wednesday. Business customers also started having access to upgrades.
Organisations with large volume licenses will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education, August 1 onwards. Windows 10 will become widely available at retail outlets across the world, from mid-August to September.
