Microsoft officially ends support for Windows 7 in less than 18 months, finally consigning the beloved desktop operating system to history. However, for those steadfastly refusing to embrace Windows 10, there’s going to be a lifeline.
The software giant has said the 40% of computers around the world still running the nine-year old OS will be able to retain support for another three years beyond the January 14 2020 cut-off point. However, it’s going to be costly.
The firm has learned from a recent survey (via Inquirer) that less than half of business users still running Windows 7 had no plans to upgrade any time soon, so is adopting the same approach it did with stubborn Windows 10 users – extending support for a price.
Although it had been expected, a post on the Microsoft 365 blog, confirmed that Extended Secrutiy Updates (ESUs) will indeed be available and will be sold on a per-device basis. In order to get on board, you’ll need to have Windows 7 Professional installed on your PC.
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Office marketing chief Jared Spataro outlined the stipulations: “Windows 7 ESUs will be available to all Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise customers in Volume Licensing, with a discount to customers with Windows software assurance, Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education subscriptions. In addition, Office 365 ProPlus will be supported on devices with active Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) through January 2023. This means that customers who purchase the Windows 7 ESU will be able to continue to run Office 365 ProPlus.”
There’s no news yet on how much this service will cost, but for those who flat out refuse to drop Windows 10, it’s likely to be a price worth paying.
Will your firm be among those paying for extended support for Windows 7? Drop us a line and tell us why @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.