Windows 10 Leak Exposes Microsoft's New Monthly Charge

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/08/04/microsoft-windows-10-subscription-cost-price-upgrade-update-windows-7-8/#6b5782b272c1

Ever since its creation, Microsoft has described Windows 10 “as a service”. The fear has always been that this meant Microsoft would start charging users a monthly fee to maintain the operating system, and now a new leak has confirmed this is exactly what will happen…

In a new report, CNet’s well connected Microsoft specialist Mary Jo Foley reports the company will soon launch ‘Microsoft Managed Desktop’ which will charge a monthly fee to configure computers running Windows 10 and keep them running smoothly as new updates are released.

Foley also notes “Microsoft already has a number of the pieces in place to make this happen” such as a Windows Autopilot automatic device provisioning service, device financing programs like Surface Plus and a ‘Surface as a Service’ leasing program. Microsoft also has a subscription bundle including Windows 10 and Office 365 called Microsoft 365 and Windows 10 Enterprise subscription plans.

Furthermore, Foley states “One of my contacts said that Bill Karagounis - former Director of the Windows Insider Program & OS Fundamentals team, who last year joined the Enterprise Mobility and Management part of Windows and Devices - is in charge of the coming Microsoft Managed Desktop.”

With Microsoft also publicly hiring for this new division, managed subscriptions for Windows 10 appear to have the green light.

So what’s the good news? At this time, Foley believes Microsoft Managed Desktop will be targeted at businesses. But the obvious question, given the clear direction Microsoft is moving becomes: for how long?

Foley did ask Microsoft to go on the record about Microsoft Managed Desktop, but the company declined to comment.

All of which means those users who chose to stay on Windows 7 and Windows 8 are probably feeling pretty smug right now. As for everyone who upgraded for ‘free’ to Windows 10, the nagging question must be: will it prove too good to be true?

I always cringe when I see crap like this. Smug about what? No matter what happens these will be end of life soon enough.... anyone stupid enough to stay on end of life Operating systems deserves to be hacked.

I could "Aquire" copies of any OS, anyone can....

Pointless article, pointless rhetoric

Meh depends on the price to be honest, I am loving win 10 to be honest and well did get it for free, so can’t complain to much if they decides to make it subscribtion based at some point!

Remember when "Window Store would become a monopoly, we will no longer be able to install STEAM" drama came about?

People are pathetic.

I just hope that more game engine developers start making use of Vulkan. The more we distance ourselves from DirectX, the better. That way it makes it easier to abandon Windows for Linux.

It will never happen.

I despise iMacs but I despise the idea of paying a monthly fee for an OS.

I would most Likely just start using Linux or windows 7 I guess.

I already can barely afford internet and Netflix as it is.

This will make Linux for gaming more popular if true which is a good thing.

Whether they want to or not, there's no way Microsoft could ever rent Windows to private users. The market wouldn't allow it. Pirated/hacked copies of Windows 7 & 10 would likely crater any expected profits. Even if they don't charge money, they're charging too much tolerance for their BS! Only booting into Windows 10 for gaming only.

As speculated, it will be business only, and beneficial for small to mid-size. We had a thread where all this was covered.

The sky is falling.

Microsoft hasn't learned anything. This company is utter garbage.

Umm it's for businesses only... Which means the cheapskate corporation I work for is screwed. Yay

This can be hugely beneficial for businesses...

@lundy86_4: it's a completely anti consumer practice.

@recloud: Not for businesses. This can help cut down on expensive IT departments for smaller companies, as well as making it easier to install Windows across multiple computers. There was a thread discussing this in pretty good detail.

Here, have a read.

Pretty much this. This has nothing to do with OS PC gamers from what I heard.

Meh, it's something I use a lot and providing they just keep evolving W10 and never make a W11 for example then I think it's fine but should probably do away with the numbering system altogether. Just call it Windows and evolve it through updates or maybe charge for major updates.

We already had a thread on this.

This is for businesses and enterprises looking for that kind of service.

I just prepared a tech brief for 3 US military branches and 2 pages were dedicated to just this.

It isnt aimed at the everyday consumer.

There is and always will be a standalone OS.

This is strictly for large companies and business (or govt agencies) that are looking to streamline the upgrade and maintenance processes of their computers.

Is it worth it?

It really depends on the TYPE of business

This is not system wars material at all. Cows continue to hate everyone and don’t love their console.

@kuu2: TC is a hermit. His post history shows it.

OP is a hermit you damage controlling clown. Not everyone who speaks ill will of MS is a cow you butthurt corporate cheerleader.

And you're a salty cow, your point?

The same Sony fannies that overreacted in the last thread about this are back pretending to be surprised and disgusted.LOL, the shills have dedication ??

Windows 10 is for PC users only! What the hell you on about? This has nothing to do with Xbox One you fool!

@davillain-: This also doesn’t have anything to do with PC gaming .... you fool. ?

I'm surprised some people are acting clueless as in we just had a thread on this not even a week back?

Link

And it's funny cause some of the same people commented in the original thread...lmao.

@quadknight: “corporate cheerleader”, ??????? What is your username again.

Sony Fan continue to be the clowns of SW.

This is for businesses btw.

I do believe you already comment on that part and already got the answer in that Thread

Nice try :P

Get your head out of Phil's butt you clown. This is a Windows related issue which could affect Hermits and people who game on PC like myself if MS decides to start also charging regular Windows users.

You don't have to pick up your pompoms anytime someone mentions MS you idiot ?

This is aimed at businesses, how can it affect hermits and PC gamers?

@davillain-: You already read the answer supporting my comment in the same thread. nice try. ?

On a side note the return of the Phil’s butt has made another appearance.??

Lemmings are quickly comming to damage control this.

@recloud: You can do better than that. Try again. This time you will score a winner.?

Just because they "believe" it's for businesses only now doesn't mean things can't change and MS decides to include regular Windows 10 users at a later date. MS hasn't made an official statement on it yet.

All Win 10 users should be wary of this.

Funny that certain Sony fans are more upset about this than they was about Sony LYING about MTs in a premium Sony franchis.

Even though there is no evidence for this outside the professional market.

For Pete's sake...

This was just covered a week ago.

Look at how hard the Sony fanny ring leader is trying to spin this.LMAO. Time to bring in the alts for backup.??

I guess TC didn't read the other failed thread where this was pretty much for businesses. That thread's TC owned up to their mistake but that didn't stop misinformation from spreading like a Russian troll farm misinformation campaign, people kept pouring into it already reacting to wrong information and here we go for round two here in SW. Sony fanboys are toxic in their misinformation, whether just being their naivete or rather just plain purposefully anti-intellectual.

Smug about what? having an OS that is soon no longer supported.

Also, this service is despite what you try to make it into not a "fee" to have windows 10 for all users, but simply an extra service for enterprise users who may not have an internal IT dept. who can manage and make sure the win 10 computers in their network is updated and running smoothly.

End users who are private will not even notice this.

That was Gaben's fear so not entirely "pathetic"

The fact that Gaben hates MS with a passion, he got scared of Windows store but we all knew this wasn't gonna replace Steam in the long run. Nobody didn't believe this fear other then Gaben.

No, I think this is just for businesses. Maintaining and updating professional use computers is a whole big deal. Companies have IT departments. Even music producers for example have a 'if it's working leave it' attitude. To digress, even with the feature packed logic x updates are problems because they move/change previous options and features too. I appreciate them adding stuff most wouldn't do until the next version, but I can imagine it being a problem a pro doesn't want to deal with, because times tight and they are likely mid project. Now consider most businesses are never 'mid project', because it doesn't end.

Companies were using outdated software and web browsers. A lot of them don't even have the time to do an update, because it would be disruptive almost immediately (some computers are running 24/7). I can see the point of view of businesses. Could you imagine the cluster **** of an updated computer negatively impacting their programs.

I really don't see MS pushing this on normal users. It wont fly, it would be like XBL fees. All it would do is alienate consumers and in so many areas, it wouldn't benefit MS as they try to lead in that market. And the average user doesn't have too many issues or problems with time when it comes to updates.

To be fair, he wasn't to know how incompetently it would be implemented. So on paper it sounds threatening, in reality though...

All I know is that I tried to install Forza 7, but it became an issue because I had the audacity to previously cancel the download and then it became corrupted. A fault that had been reported with the store since 2015 or so if I remember.

Well he was burned by MS, that's why he hates them, lots of people have been burned by MS, they even try to **** over their own customers, they have a bad track record.

I take anything from Microsoft seriously because they have serious money to back it up they are a threat. The moment you don;t take them seriously is when they get you.

Depends on the business model and pricing. Kind of funny as some people are reacting. Everyone is on a service model, people use those services like Netflix, PS Plus, Gold, Prime, etc. But Windows is were it stops. How dare they!?

My understanding of this is that it's for Windows 10 Enterprise. It would be suicide to do this to end user lic3nsing.