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The Windows 9 upgrade might not be as free as initially believed

Published Sep 30th, 2014 9:05AM EDT
Windows 9 Upgrade Price

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After a report last week revealed the President of Microsoft Indonesia confirmed that the Windows 8 to Windows 9 upgrade will be available free download, Myce has discovered that not all current Windows 8 users may be entitled to a free Windows 9 update. Well-known Russian leaker WZOR, the source of various Windows 9 leaks in the past, says that just those customers who have purchased a Windows 8 (or Windows 8.1) copy will qualify for free upgrades. Users who have purchased a computer with Windows 8 preinstalled (OEM version of the software) will have to pay a fee.

FROM EARLIER: Confirmed: Windows 9 to be a free upgrade for Windows 8 users

The same source revealed that Windows 7 users upgrading directly to Windows 9 will also have to pay Microsoft a relatively small fee. While such Windows 9 upgrade prices aren’t officially available yet, WZOR says that Windows 7 users might have to pay $30 to jump to Windows 9, while Windows 8 OEM users might be charged $20 for the update.

Windows 9 is expected to bring a bunch of interesting features, such as the return of the Start menu, the Cortana virtual assistant, support for multiple desktops, a Notification Center, and various UI improvements to make it more desktop-friendly than its predecessors.

Microsoft on Tuesday will unveil Windows 9, at which point the company is expected to share more details about release dates and pricing for its upcoming major desktop OS release. After all, it accidentally leaked a few Windows 9 details already.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.