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OEM Windows 7 License Sales End This Friday

Posted by timothy on from the new-old-stock-will-persist-a-while dept.

colinneagle writes This Friday is Halloween, but if you try to buy a PC with Windows 7 pre-loaded after that, you're going to get a rock instead of a treat. Microsoft will stop selling Windows 7 licenses to OEMs after this Friday and you will only be able to buy a machine with Windows 8.1. The good news is that business/enterprise customers will still be able to order PCs 'downgraded' to Windows 7 Professional. Microsoft has not set an end date for when it will cut off Windows 7 Professional to OEMs, but it will likely be a while. This all fits in with typical Microsoft timing. Microsoft usually pulls OEM supply of an OS a year after it removes it from retail. Microsoft cut off the retail supply of Windows 7 in October of last year, although some retailers still have some remaining stock left. If the analytics from Steam are any indicator, Windows 8 is slowly working its way into the American public, but mostly as a Windows XP replacement. Windows 7, both 32-bit and 64-bit, account for 59% of their user base. Windows 8 and 8.1 account for 28%, while XP has dwindled to 4%.

2 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. An obvious mistake... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Microsoft doens't want Windows 7 to become the next Windows XP and denying them years of upgrade revenues.

  2. If they refuse to license and support it by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They must forfeit all privileges granted by copyright and patent law to allow others to pick up.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”