Windows 10 Free for a Year for Windows 7, Windows 8.x, and Windows Phone 8.1 Upgrades

During today's press event for Windows 10, Microsoft delivered a huge number of announcements. Some small, some large and we'll be covering all of them here on Supersite over the next few days and weeks. We'll announce the new features and also deliver some needed commentary to help you get a better understanding of how Windows 10's advancements will affect you personally.

One of the most sought tidbits of information about Windows 10, though, has been price. Features, after all, are just icing on the cake. So, what will Windows 10 cost?

Terry Myerson, Microsoft's Executive Vice President of Operating Systems, took the stage first today and surprised the crowd by giving an official statement on pricing.

When Windows 10 officially releases, users of Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. That, by itself, is awesome news. But, of course, there's a caveat. Microsoft really, really wants users to install and use the new OS, so the company is putting a deadline on the deal. One year after Windows 10 releases, the new OS will no longer be offered as a free upgrade. Myerson gave no indication of what the upgrade might cost after that.

So, what will it cost? It's free. For a while. After that…

Also, per Myerson...

This is more than a one-time upgrade: once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device – at no additional charge.

And, this clearly answers the bigger, lingering question of the day brought on through the confusion of touting Windows 10 as "Windows-as-a-Service." And that is - will Windows now come with a subscription model? The answer is 'no.' Once you choose to upgrade, the OS is yours to keep for the life of the device.

EXTRA: The free upgrade deal for Windows 10 is for consumers only.