In an unusual move, the company has extended the availability of Windows 7 so it will be possible to buy computers with the operating system pre-installed until the end of October next year. 41 percent of those who were looking to purchase a new PC considered Windows 10 a differentiating factor, explaining that Microsoft’s new product indeed comes with significant improvements in terms of features and usability.
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Microsoft has given its PC OEMs another year to clear their inventory of laptops and computers running on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
The latest data from Netmarketshare gives Windows 10 a 7.94 percent share of the total desktop operating system market. Microsoft has permitted it to live on substantially longer than Windows 8, which saw first light in 2013, and Windows 8.1, which arrived in 2013.
While both tracking firms continue to see Windows 10 usage rising, the rates of that increase have definitely slowed since the OS was launched on July 29.
“Licenses will continue to be available through downgrade rights after the end of general availability”, Microsoft said.
This spells bad news for those unconvinced by Windows 10. “However, we will make media available for the current version as well as the previous two versions”.
All editions of Windows 7 are already out of mainstream support.
It’s important to note that Microsoft will still support Windows 7 and 8 if you have it already though – meaning you’ll still receive important security updates until January 2020 and January 2021 respectively.
The same deadline goes for Windows 8.1 powered devices and all its versions.
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Insiders learned earlier this week from Window’s official blog, that Microsoft will soon be publishing Windows 10 as an “Optional Update” to make the upgrade “easier” for everyone.
