[LINK] web: Microsoft unveils holographic glasses, gives Windows 10 away for free

[Jim Birch]

On 22 January 2015 at 10:14, Brendan wrote:

>  I presume it's the drug dealer play.  The first hit is 'free', but after
> that you're no longer 'free'.
>

I think Microsoft might end up going permanently free with Windows OS, for
home users at least. (Large businesses still have a lot of lock-in to the
platform so will pay for a business version.)  The importance of the
operating system is increasingly marginal when most activity is through a
browser to the cloud.  In the tablet and phone space, upgrades are free.
If MS want to provide an integrated platform across devices they need all
systems to upgrade together.

Mac computers now get free OS upgrades.  They regard OS development as a
cost in the business of selling computers, with the downsides of people not
upgrading being worse for their business, or, detracting from the Cherenkov
glow of their products.  Also, each successive version of their OS has more
tie-in to the Apple cloud.   The problem for Microsoft is that they don't
sell desktop computers or have a "Store" that is selling much.

BTW, I saw an interesting revenue analysis for Apple the other day

Total annual 183 Billion USD
iPhone 102
iPad 30
Mac 24
iTunes and Software 18
Accessories 6
iPod 2

source: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2015/01/where-apples-money-comes-from/



Jim