Today, Microsoft officially announced that Windows 10 will start rolling out on July 29th, 2015. Specifically, Microsoft allowed Cortana to announce the big news. If you don’t have a Windows PC or phone running the Windows 10 Preview Insider, you can hear the announcement for yourself by clicking here.
In preparation for the big release date, Microsoft is already sending out notifications to users of older Windows versions prompting them to reserve their free update. Making a reservation is just a simpler way to opt-in to the free upgrade in advance. Once you get your notification and opt-in, the update will automatically download and install. Microsoft has yet to go into any details about how, when, or if the company will ever charge for the newest version of Windows; the company announced in May that Windows 10 would the end of the line as the software giant shifts toward providing continuous updates of their software instead of every-few-years releases.
In the Windows blog post that announced the July 29th release date, Microsoft credits over four million Windows Insiders for helping them make progress with the software and “nearly ready to deliver this free upgrade to all of our Windows customers,” noting that the initial release will be for PCs and tablets. Microsoft also said that Windows 10 will help them “start delivering on our vision of more personal computing, defined by trust in how we protect and respect your personal information…” among other things.
Windows 10 will come with new features such as Cortana, Microsoft Edge – Windows newest browser, Xbox Live and the integrated Xbox app, and a slew of other new and updated multimedia apps. The software will even debut with the Office 2016 full featured desktop suite where “users will be able to experience new universal Windows applications for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, all available separately”.
You can reserve your free upgrade by clicking the small Windows icon that appears in the right hand corner of the task bar at the bottom of your screen. For more information about this process, click here.
Is there anyone out there who’s still on the fence about upgrading and transitioning with Microsoft as they release Windows 10 and a new era dawns regarding how the company operates? We’d love to hear your opinions!