Would Microsoft ever really stop Windows 7 family pack pricing?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 30 November 2009 12:58

Opinion and Analysis

Today, Microsoft’s computing model is under threat more than ever before.

Linux gets better with every new release and today, provides a very capable computing experience, free of charge, complete with an office software suite and much, much more, and continues its current very slow encroachment into Microsoft’s domination of the PC operating system market.

It’s even offered by some OEMs pre-loaded onto brand new PCs instead of Windows XP, Vista or 7, but still only on a tiny percentage compared to Windows.

Apple’s latest OS X 10.6 is also a winner alongside the new 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs, can even run Windows natively or using virtualisation software, and still delivers a simpler and more logical experience than Windows or Linux for most everyday users. Despite all of that, it's still outsold by hundreds of millions more Windows PCs. 

Google has taken software and services to the web, and has introduced a developer version of its new Ubuntu-based but Chrome-browser interfaced “Chrome OS”, delivering a ultra-streamlined version of “desktop Linux” unlike any other delivered to date. It won’t be natively installable on regular PC hardware but will work with specific designs OEMs make with Google’s help.

These new Google web netbooks and PCs are coming in a year’s time to retail, giving Windows 7 some breathing space to try and reclaim as many Vista and XP users as possible.

This is happening through a huge range of sub $500 to $1000 Atom based netbooks, Centrino and Pentium Dual Core notebooks. Not all yet come with Windows 7, with plenty still offering Vista with a free Windows 7 upgrade, but this will clearly change as old Vista stock is sold.

Above the $1000 mark mostly comes Core 2 Duo based notebooks and up, with the rather nice exception of a Pentium Dual Core Acer and 15.6-inch screen with 2-points of multi-touch, 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive, HDMI and more for $1199 at Officeworks – the cheapest price for a full multi-touch touch-screen enabled 15.6-inch LED widescreen notebook, and multi-touch trackpad mouse surface, that I’ve ever seen - and the first time I’ve ever seen it, too!

These cheaper prices for Windows PCs with very nice specs for the money continues the pricing attack of Microsoft and its hardware PC partners against the white new 13-inch Apple MacBook and the 21.5-inch iMac desktop, which start at $1299 and $1599, which are wonderful to use but simply cost more than all those cheaper sub $1000 notebooks out there.

Although most computer buyers will buy a new PC from one of the major manufacturers, whether online or in a retail store with one of the different Windows 7 versions pre-loaded, and will thus pay the cheapest Windows 7 pricing of all when compared to RRP retail pricing, the image Microsoft presents to people as a company is important for its future.

So, would Microsoft ever truly remove the 3-user upgrade pack? Concluding thoughts and scenarios on page 3!