Windows 10: Mystery file in preview build hints at Windows 10 subscriptions

My guess is they'll look to provide WaaS, and perhaps charge for "features" in the future.

 

The Windows Upgrade to Subscription tool, found in the latest Windows Insider builds, helps to manage certain volume licensing upgrades from Windows 10 Pro Anniversary Update to Windows 10 Enterprise. This binary file is not associated with the free consumer upgrade offering nor is it applicable to consumer Windows editions.
^^^^
Looks to me to be for transferring/managing Volume License editions of Pro and Enterprise. Likely to make upgrading to a new build easier for the IT guy. Why read so much into it?

 

I think it's only a matter of time before Windows becomes a subscription based service, just like all software.

 

I can see it being an option at some point. They'd have to sweeten the pot though. Some extra OneDrive Storage, multiple licenses, etc before most people would even consider it. If it was the only option I'll be moving on to something else or running my outdated but free for the life of my device version of Windows as long as possible. I have absolutely no interest in a subscription plan for Windows or office.

 

That's what I'm thinking. If there are 1 billion Windows 10 users, if the store averages only $10 per year on each user, that's significant. Market share is usually more valuable than bottom line. A billion here, a billion there, and soon you're talking about real money.

 

Ed Bott talked to MS about this.
"A mysterious Windows 10 .EXE hints subscriptions are coming, but don’t worry yet"
A mysterious Windows 10 .EXE hints subscriptions are coming, but don’t worry yet

 

Yes, he did, but that doesn't mean much of anything when you get a whole bunch of people discussing something.

 

Some people will believe what they want to believe, regardless of the facts.

 

You completely missed my point. They are charging a yearly fee for a simple card game. Not a one time purchase - a yearly fee for something that is not going be improved or get updates. Nobody would do that. It is stupid. I wouldn't put anything past the minds that brought you that logic.

 

Nobody is seriously trying to cut into Microsoft's OS territory now. But if they start charging average users a subscription fee for Windows, that will all change in a big way. It would be a drastic and maybe eventually fatal miscalculation on their part, IMO.

 

Or,,, they can take the smart path and go for market share. If MS would make Win 10 totally free today, in 12-18 months, it could be on 1 billion computers.

 

I do not believe Microsoft will ever do this to general consumers.

All current devices, even the ones with the free upgrade, have permanent licenses with the implication that they will not be forcibly deactivated ever. Microsoft may eventually stop pushing updates, but not until the devices and OS are horribly out of date - and the whole point of Windows 10 is to have one version that is never horrible obsolete.

All consumer devices sold now are sold with the expectation of being fully usable as soon as you bring it home. I do not believe that will ever change, as the vast majority of users are kinda stupid adverse to tinkering with a device that exists solely as a portal to the internet and their data. Having consumers bring their shiny new "WinThing" home only to find out that they must spend a monthly or annual fee to continue using it would be an unpleasant surprise, and would have such an adverse response that any theoretical profit from the move would be swallowed by a brush with bankruptcy for everyone involved.

It does, however, make sense for companies with a full-fledged IT department. The majority of the time a company will buy a ****ton of computers with a Windows license, then wipe them all and install a different version of Windows that they paid for separately. They can save money buy buying computers with no preinstalled license, and just add them all to a pool of Windows systems then just pay to license the systems they actively use. Economy is in a downturn and you laid off a quarter of your workforce? Shut off the unneeded computers and save on Windows licensing fees. Business is booming? Fire up those old computers and reactivate their licenses. You can even let licenses flow from unused systems to used systems if your needs are changing around (I don't know, local stations that are only manned occasionally by a float? People who use laptops for one part of a project then swith to workstations for a different part?)

It will be handy for professional users. Microsoft already charges for Office 365 and Onedrive 1TB, it may make sense to offer a package that includes pro features, priority support, and the ability to swith your license between computers at the drop of a hat.

But you will always be able to buy a laptop or tablet or whatever and be able to use it forever without paying another dime to Microsoft for it to continue running. Just your cellphone carrier, internet provider, Netflix, and whatever other services you subscribe to. You will always have a choice to not pay more to use your computer.

 

I'll hazard to guess that half the people who posted in this thread did not read the article linked too in the first post. Or any posts in the thread. They just read the thread title, saw the word subscription, and had at it. The sky is falling.

Any large corporation will most likely have a Software Assurance contract with Microsoft. They can swap the operating system and license through that program. The way I read it, this added file/feature just makes that process easier.

 

I would venture that over half didn't read any of the OP and just jumped to conclusions.. as usual.

This statement in the OP spells out clearly the position MS is taking on this subject.

 

I copied and posted that bit of text at least once in the thread. Somebody else posted it too. Doesn't seem to matter though.