Microsoft Windows 8.1 will get 70% price reduction
Bloomberg reports that Microsoft is cutting the price of Windows 8.1 by 70 percent for makers of low-cost computers and tablets. Obviously this is to be able to compete with Google's Chromebooks etc. The price reduction will be in effect for OEMs only. Manufacturers will be charged $15 to license Windows 8.1 and preinstall it on devices that retail for less than $250, instead of the usual fee of $50, said the people, who asked not to be named because the details aren’t public.
The discount will apply to any products that meet the price limit, with no restrictions on the size or type of device, the people said. By offering incentives for PC makers to sell cheaper models, Microsoft may be able to increase its share of the growing $80 billion tablet market and stave off Chromebooks, notebooks that run Google’s operating system.
Microsoft, which named Satya Nadella as chief executive officer earlier this month, is seeking to speed up development and introduction of new devices. It won’t require products that use the cheaper licensing to complete logo certification, a process that verifies hardware compatibility, one of the people said. Devices aren’t required to be touch-screen compatible, they said.
Julia Kelly-Echeverio, a spokeswoman for Microsoft, declined to comment yesterday.
Via Bloomberg
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Senior Member
Posts: 1066
Joined: 2011-12-04
I'll probably do the same, german199, even though I did buy a couple of copies of W8 when it first appeared on Amazon.

Senior Member
Posts: 652
Joined: 2005-05-15
It should be illegal to reduce price by 70% on the charges their initial price was 70% bigger and the product was broken

Senior Member
Posts: 568
Joined: 2009-03-27
men, this is good news for every1. cheper prices means moer men will be usin this OS than ever before. hallyryu wanted a cheap window 8 so this should be god news to him an many other felow gurus here an accross the globe (
Senior Member
Posts: 915
Joined: 2006-04-13
All in all is a good move for MS, and it will make some users happy.
By the way Win 8.1 is not broken, the only problem is the interface, but if don't count it you will get a nice OS (not the best bust still a good one).
Member
Posts: 74
Joined: 2009-03-19
No thanks, i'll use W7 up to 2077