Will 10 really be the final Windows version?

c627627 said:

Subscription based service is coming.
But we have until 2023 Windows 8 End of Life before we start worrying about that.

I don't see how they can force subscription before then, they said our Windows 8 licenses (and Win7) will not be lost so five more years for Windows 7 and 8 more years for Windows 8... and by that token, Windows 10 will be subscription free until 2023.

This page does not list the End Of Life date for windows 10.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect
Somehow I don't think the EULA says we will be able to get free updates for ever and ever?
It has to say something about it though, I would think?

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trents said:

Microsoft has stated that Windows 10 will be the final version of Windows they produce.

But what does this mean? Surely it cannot mean they will cease development of operating systems altogether. Windows has been their bread and butter product. So what do they mean when they say Windows 10 is the final version of Windows?

Does it mean we will see a forever unending stream of patches, updates and service packs for years to come? I sure hope not! That just creates boated, sluggish OS monsters. Hardware innovations alone would seem to suggest that will only go so far.

Here's what I think. I think they will develop an entirely new OS product with a different name. And I think they will move to a tighter, more integrated approach like Apple where OS, firmware and hardware are all dependent upon one another and tightly controlled. They are already imitating Apple in the sense of making the OS upgrade a free product to existing users.

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chrisjames61 said:

From here on in you will rent the OS from them. No more buying it. That is the plan. A revenue stream like they now get from Office 365. Yes, they are now copying Apple with the curated app store, sandboxing etc.... But they will always charge for an OS as that is the business model. The Apple business model is give away the OS and and make boatloads of cash off the hardware. Seems to be working like a charm.

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Dlaw said:

You aren't really paying for OSX or the hardware it's installed on when you buy a Mac. People are interested in Macs because of the customer support, and that's why they can charge $1500 for a laptop with the same hardware as you can get with Windows for $900. That and ease of use for the general consumer, and proven reliability are the pillars of Apple's business model, and the reason people will spend an extra $100 or more on something simply because there's an "i" in front of it's name.

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