Windows 10 overview
On January 21, 2015, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) announced the finer details of Windows 10, its latest operating system (or OS). The company also announced the probable date this OS will hit the markets.
On January 21, 2015, Microsoft held a special Windows 10 event to show how Windows 10 will run across PCs (personal computers), phones, tablets, and the Xbox One gaming console.
It’s also been speculated that Microsoft will try to offer Windows 10 as an annual subscription rather than a one-time buy. However, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella refuted the change in business model.
Microsoft’s Windows 10 has new web browser
In its Windows 10 release, Microsoft (MSFT) announced that Windows 10 will include a new web browser called Spartan. With Windows 10, Spartan will be the default browser. It will feature both a refreshed interface and other improvements that were not included in Internet Explorer (or IE).
The Spartan web browser is equipped with built-in Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant with its contextual searching. So if a person looks up a restaurant on Spartan, Cortana will throw in a map, a menu, and contact details.
Windows 7 customers get to download Windows 10 for free, but only for a year
The Windows 10 download will be free for customers who are currently running Windows 7 or later versions, including Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. But the download will only last for the first year of its release.
The important thing to note here is that Windows 10 is not a free upgrade for the first year. It’s a free upgrade for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 users within the first year of its launch.
The Windows 10 operating system is expected to be launched in late 2015. At the end of the free one-year window, users who wish to continue using Windows 10 have to pay for a subscription.