Although Microsoft is currently hard at work on a Windows Blue 8.1 update, we've yet to hear any details regarding its pricing. That's making some analysts wonder: Why not offer the Windows 8 upgrade for free?
Windows 8 has, by many accounts, sputtered out of the gates in terms of PC adoption, while tablet sales for the Surface Pro / RT line haven't been as good as expected. Since Windows Blue 8.1 is expected to address many complaints users had about the original operating system, some analysts have a difficult time envisioning Microsoft trying to monetize the upgrade.
"I don't think that in the current Windows 8 climate they can charge for the first update, as the perception of many users will be that any changes being made or features they are adding will make Windows 8 the way it should have been when they first purchased it," Michael Cherry of Directions on Microsoft said to Computer World. "I know I'd be upset if Microsoft asked me to pay for this set of changes."
"I find it hard to believe that Microsoft would try to monetize Windows Blue," Brett Waldman, an analyst at the research firm IDC, said. "In my mind, it's more like a service pack-plus-feature pack, which have always been included with the purchase of a license."
For traditional PC users, Windows Blue 8.1 will allegedly bring back the Start button in some shape or form while also giving them the option to boot straight to the desktop, bypassing the new Meto Live Tile interface entirely.
At the same time, Windows Blue 8.1 is also optimizing the new OS for smaller, 7- to 9-inch tablets, giving Microsoft space to expand its Surface Pro / RT line in order to better compete with competitors like the iPad mini.
The upgrade pack, arriving about a year after Windows 8's debut, also signifies another shift in strategy: Microsoft is moving to deliver upgrades at a faster, annual pace. Even if Windows Blue 8.1 is offered for free, that may not necessarily be the case for future updates.
Microsoft said last week that it would be revealing new information about the upgrade within the next couple weeks, so expect release date and pricing details soon. While charging money for software improvements would be a tempting proposition, Windows 8 users may be in a for a little treat this time around.
"They [Microsoft] would be walking a tightrope giving away Blue for free, and be setting a precedent, but with a new technology that's controversial, I think they'll give this one away," Michael Silver, a Gartner analyst, added.
