Windows 7 Prices Tagged

Windows 7 Prices Tagged
 
Microsoft has released pricing details for its Windows 7 OSMicrosoft today released pricing details for its upcoming Windows 7 OS, which will become available in retail from 22 October. Unlike its earlier OS releases, the software giant is following a different pricing and upgrade strategy for this highly anticipated release.
 
With earlier operating systems, Microsoft gave its existing customers the option to upgrade to the new version. While the same was expected with Windows 7, this time around Microsoft will only be offering this option in the customers outside the EU. Existing European users of Windows Vista will have to go in for a full purchase and clean installation, an option that is not likely to be attractive to most users.
 
Microsoft however, has placed the blame of this limitation fairly and squarely on its efforts to comply with the European Union’s competition rules. One benefit though that existing Windows license holders in Europe will be getting is that of special pricing. They will be offered the full version of Windows 7 at upgrade prices.
 
For the rest of the world, anyone in any other part of the world who gets a new system after 26 June with Windows Vista Home, Premium, Business or Ultimate will receive a free upgrade to Windows 7. This will be shipped as a full version to the customers through respective system manufacturers. Those with existing Windows installations will also be offered a special price for the upgrade, with an option to go for the stand-alone version of the OS.
 
Talking about pricing in the UK, the upgrade prices for those with an existing Windows license will be £79.99, £189.99 and £199.99 for the Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate versions of Windows 7 respectively. The stand-alone version of Windows 7 Home Premium will on the other hand cost £149.99 in retail and will feature multi-machine installation. The Professional and Ultimate versions will respectively cost £219.99 and £299.99 respectively for stand-alone.
 
This means that Microsoft is introducing Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade and stand-alone at lower prices than those at which Windows Vista Home Premium was introduced, while the Professional and Ultimate versions carry the same price tag as their Windows Vista counterparts.
 
Pre-order pricing for the new OS is even better; when ordered between 26 June and 11 July, customers in US, Canada and Japan will receive Windows 7 Home Premium for $49.99, while Window 7 Professional will cost $99.99 (savings of $70 and $100 respectively). Across the Atlantic, pre-orders from Germany and France will be accepted at €49.99 and €109.99 for the Home Premium and Professional versions.
 
UK customers on the other hand will get their pre-orders at £49.99 for the Home Premium and £99.99 for the Professional versions respectively, again resulting in substantial savings. In other words, a pre-order is a sure shot way to get the cheapest possible price for the new OS, a move that is likely to earn Microsoft thousands, if not millions, of instant customers.
 
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