By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
TechgoonduTechgoonduTechgoondu
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Windows 10 earns positive reviews as Microsoft reaches the crossroads
Share
Font ResizerAa
TechgoonduTechgoondu
Font ResizerAa
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Follow US
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Techgoondu > Blog > PC > Windows 10 earns positive reviews as Microsoft reaches the crossroads
PCSoftware

Windows 10 earns positive reviews as Microsoft reaches the crossroads

Alfred Siew
Last updated: August 3, 2015 at 9:16 PM
Alfred Siew
Published: July 30, 2015
5 Min Read
Though there was music at a party for Windows fans in Singapore, there were no queues for the software, which was distributed over the Net.
Though there was music at a party for Windows fans in Singapore, there were no queues for Windows 10, which was distributed over the Net. Source: Microsoft

No queues formed at midnight for the first copies. Nobody rushed home to install the latest Windows 10, out yesterday.

Instead, most users got their new Windows downloaded right onto their PCs – for free. Many more will get it in the coming weeks and months when they buy a new PC.

After decades of glitzy, high-profile launches, Microsoft has done the unthinkable by releasing the latest version of Windows free to most end users.

Okay, PC makers still pay licensing fees for copies sold on their PCs, while PC enthusiasts also have to buy new copies for new self-built machines.

But the rather low-key launch for Windows 10 this time marks the passing of an era for the PC software giant. As it faces a crossroads after 30 years of selling Windows to every PC sold on the planet, it has been forced to find new paths to survive in a tough environment.

Instead of charging the maximum that users could bear for each copy, Microsoft will use Windows 10 to get as many users on its new services as possible. That means giving away the software to end users – mostly.

Whether that will work is another matter, of course. The stated aim is to get these users to spend on other things besides the upfront cost of Windows. Services is a buzzword today, and Google and Facebook have been there earlier, despite the dominance of Windows all this while.

Could add-ons and services be the next big thing to fuel Microsoft’s ambitions in the years ahead? Well, it has to begin somewhere to get to its target of one billion Windows 10 devices by 2018.

Interestingly, to get the full Solitaire experience on Windows 10 – sans advertisements – you’ll have to pay US$1.49 a month for a premium version. That may be a preview of what else you’d have to pay with the “free” operating system in future.

16-Windows-Hello1

The big question is whether Microsoft can achieve the same stickiness that its rivals have had with their services. Google has search and Gmail as indispensibles to everyday life, while Facebook’s social appeal is obvious.

Microsoft? It can’t be charging people too much for Windows if it wants the software to be pervasive. Of all its service offerings, besides Skype which it bought over in 2011, none has gained the same pervasiveness as its rivals.

Will giving away Windows make people love Microsoft more? Well, it goes some way to make its software – and services – easy to adopt.

Don’t forget that in Windows 10 is a copy of Edge, the new Web browser that takes over from Internet Explorer after 20 years. This online entry point for many users can help make Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, more popular.

Perhaps more importantly, Windows 10 has given users what they want. Yes, the much-talked about Start bar is back, sort of.

Now, users can get into their familiar Windows desktop easily, unlike with Windows 8 which forced them to switch between a touch-friendly interface and the traditional desktop. It seems Microsoft has listened to customers.

That’s probably the reason why Windows 10 has earned good reviews early on. Yes, there are many other new features, such as improved security and the ability to “stream” games from an Xbox to a PC, but ultimately Microsoft has seen that the more you change, the more you stay the same.

In trying to remain the software behemoth of the PC era, it was finding itself out-fought in online services and in the basic operating systems that run devices from smartphones to PCs.

With Windows 10, a version of which will also be rolled out to mobile devices later this year, the company is seeking to win over users like never before. It has done so by going back to what users liked about Windows.

The result is one of the most polished and well-liked operating systems in years – at least at launch. Despite the lack of queues to buy it, Windows 10 may be the most popular yet.

AI is changing how broadcasters develop, deliver content
Goondu review: travel apps we love
Cybersecurity validation to tackle threats that can go unnoticed
Fire up Call of Duty, Forza in a gaming suite at Singapore’s Parkroyal Collection Pickering hotel
Dell XPS 14 (9440) review: Graphics, screen get a boost in new laptop
TAGGED:MicrosoftupgradeWindows 10

Sign up for the TG newsletter

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link Print
Avatar photo
ByAlfred Siew
Follow:
Alfred is a writer, speaker and media instructor who has covered the telecom, media and technology scene for more than 20 years. Previously the technology correspondent for The Straits Times, he now edits the Techgoondu.com blog and runs his own technology and media consultancy.
Previous Article Trend Micro: Singapore users more reliant on cloud despite security concerns
Next Article 10 things enterprises should know about Windows 10
Leave a Comment

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

FacebookLike
XFollow

Latest News

Singapore expands AI assurance pilot to test AI agents, detect prompt injections
Enterprise Software
July 7, 2025
In search of fairer deal for content creators, Cloudflare blocks AI scrapers
Internet Media
July 3, 2025
Samsung The Frame Pro (2025) review: Appealing design, excellent images
Audio-visual
July 1, 2025
AWS opens Asia-Pacific innovation hub in Singapore
Enterprise
June 30, 2025

Techgoondu.com is published by Goondu Media Pte Ltd, a company registered and based in Singapore.

.

Started in June 2008 by technology journalists and ex-journalists in Singapore who share a common love for all things geeky and digital, the site now includes segments on personal computing, enterprise IT and Internet culture.

banner banner
Everyday DIY
PC needs fixing? Get your hands on with the latest tech tips
READ ON
banner banner
Leaders Q&A
What tomorrow looks like to those at the leading edge today
FIND OUT
banner banner
Advertise with us
Discover unique access and impact with TG custom content
SHOW ME

 

 

POWERED BY READYSPACE
The Techgoondu website is powered by and managed by Readyspace Web Hosting.

TechgoonduTechgoondu
© 2024 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use | Advertise | About Us | Contact
Follow Us!
Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Username or Email Address
    Password

    Lost your password?