Do you want to share?
Do you like this article?
When Windows 8 was released in October 2012, anyone with an existing
Windows license could upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99. Microsoft
made it clear from the beginning that the extremely low price was a
special offer to encourage more and more people to use the brand new
operating system.
The original price for the upgrade is set at $199.99 (Windows 8 pro)
and $119.99 for a basic version of the operating system. The special
offer ends on 31st January, and upgrades made from 1st February onwards would cost the normal ($199.99) prices.
Windows 8 is significantly different from its predecessors because it
is aimed to power smartphones, tablets and PCs alike. It has several
touch-screen features and a completely different UI. Windows 8 garnered a
positive response from a small niche, while most people still aren’t
comfortable using the new operating system. The majority of market share
in Microsoft operating systems is still being held by Windows XP and
Windows 7, while Windows 8 has only been able to secure a small piece of the pie.
The special price for the upgrade has so far been unable to increase
sales. Although Microsoft has repeatedly claim that Windows 8 is doing
well, reports from third party sources and sales numbers from last year
say otherwise. It can be speculated that Microsoft would have extended
the duration of the special offer if the pricing was having an effect on
sales.
Since support for Windows XP ends this year, many users will be
switching from XP to either Windows 7 or 8, and it is quite possible
that Microsoft expects them to switch to Windows 8. It can also be
expected that people still indecisive about Windows 8 will feel rushed
to upgrade before the end of January, thus inducing a hike in sales.
We will keep you updated about the developments in this regard. For
now, if you are thinking about upgrading to Windows 8, do it before 31st January to make use of the special offer.
