Windows 7 pricing unveiled at last, still too expensive?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Friday, 26 June 2009 01:10

Business IT - Technology

Microsoft has finally unveiled its long awaited Windows 7 pricing, and while it’s cheaper than Vista, and there’s a time-limited half-price offer, is Microsoft being too greedy or is the price right for users to come on down?


Well, it’s finally official, at least in US dollar pricing – Microsoft has announced what it will charge for retail and upgrade versions of its upcoming, Vista beating, XP replacing, all singing, all dancing new operating system, Windows 7.

Microsoft’s Windows 7 team blogger, Brandon LeBlanc, triumphantly announced the news not too long ago at the Windows 7 blog, saying the company had news to share on the “hottest” questions around Windows 7 as Microsoft heads towards the October 22 “general availability” (GA) of its new OS.

Before getting to the pricing nitty gritty, LeBlanc first tries to excite us all with the news that all 35 languages that Windows 7 is offered in will be available by October 31, with 14 languages (including English) due on October 22, and the remaining 21 languages on October 31.

The first 14 languages are “English, Spanish, Japanese, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and Chinese (Hong Kong).”

The remaining 21 languages comprise of “Turkish, Czech, Portuguese, Hungarian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Greek, Ukrainian, Romanian, Arabic, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Slovenian, Hebrew, Thai, Croatian, Serbian Latin, and Latvian.”

Microsoft then throws in the distraction of a free Windows 7 upgrade to anyone who buys a computer pre-loaded with Windows Vista (Home Premium, Business or Ultimate) – as long as the company you’re purchasing from is a “participating OEM or retailer”.

The free upgrade will be available until Jan 31, 2010, and it will be offered on a global basis, with more information at this part of Microsoft’s “Windows” website.

But what about the all important, long awaited Windows 7 pricing?! Details are on page two, please read on!