Windows 10 will be the last Windows version, or so Microsoft says. Of course, it won’t be the last update. Instead, the company is changing the way updates are delivered, making it easier for most and restricting freedom of choice for others.
In a world where selling operating systems to consumers no longer makes money, these changes are a necessary evil, but that won’t make them more palatable to die-hard fans. Windows 10 will be a lot more like OS X than people realize, and not everyone will like it.
People don’t buy operating systems, they buy devices
One year after its support expired, Windows XP’s market share is still above 15 percent, more than Windows 8 and 8.1 combined. The XP situation highlights Microsoft’s dilemma. Consumers buy devices for the features they offer and the tasks they solve, but rarely buy operating systems. People still on Windows XP are happy with the capabilities offered, and are more likely to buy an entirely new device than a new version of Windows.
