Microsoft Windows 10: When Will the Free Windows Upgrade be Available?

by: Nick Gambino

Microsoft’s expected (and I guess highly anticipated) new operating system, Windows 10, has secured a release date. All you Windows users out there can expect it to be available on July 29. The Executive VP of Operating Systems, Terry Myerson announced it in a blog post this week.

With 1.5 billion people using Windows (I know I was surprised by that figure too) they had to make sure it was done right. Microsoft first announced Windows 10 in April 2014 which seems like a long time to release something after it’s announced. Apple releases their products months after their first announcement.

The intention with Windows 10 is to create an operating system that unifies all of Microsoft’s core products like their PC, Windows Phone, Xbox One, etc. Kind of like Apple’s OS that works across iPad, iPhone, Mac computers, etc. It took you long enough, Microsoft!

New features include the following:

An upgraded Start menu which is really bringing back the one from Windows 7

A default web browser known as Microsoft Edge

Introduction of a digital assistant named Cortana (that’s Spanish for “Siri”)

Windows Apps that allows you to run their apps across multiple platforms.

Task View which allows you to view all open windows at once and choose which ever one you want to view. This is Mission Control in Mac computers.

This is looking eerily similar to the Mac OS. Basically Windows 10 should be called Windows 10.Mac. I’m not knocking it, if it works that’s all that matters. It’s not a bad business model, “Copy Apple.” Then again Windows is still soaking up most of the desktop OS market share with over 80%. Mac OS X doesn’t even come close with less than 10%.

So maybe I shouldn’t let my Apple bias seep into too much of my writing. Oh wait, I forgot Apple dominates the tablet and smartphone market leaving Microsoft in the dust. So, there’s that. My bias is back in full swing.

Microsoft is going to need a winner here with Windows 10 especially with the “eh” response to Windows 8 when it was released. In fact per a study the majority of Windows users are still using Windows 7. Early reviews are generally favorable with the concept of cross-platform integration and more user-friendly controls gaining brownie points in beta-testing.

Windows 10 will be available for free on July 29th. We’ll have to wait to see how the general public reacts to it, my bet is that it goes over better than Windows 8

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Gambino is a regular script writer and tech beat reporter for NewsWatch.  He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and daughter.