Microsoft Sets 2025 End Date for Windows 10 Support
Microsoft Sets 2025 End Date for Windows 10 Support
Over the weekend, Microsoft quietly edited a document on its website to reveal that it intends to end support for Windows 10 Home and Pro on October 14, 2025.
The announcement comes just days before Microsoft's "What's Next Windows" event on June 24 and amid CEO Satya Nadella's indications that a significant new version of Windows is on the way.
Windows 10 was released in 2015, so 2025 would fall within Microsoft's typical ten-year window for supporting an operating system version.
A new version of Windows may be Microsoft's attempt to re-ignite a PC market that has been stoked by the pandemic.
"With more people working remotely and likely to do so in the future, there may be an increased interest in replacing existing PCs or acquiring new PCs, and a new major release of an operating system can keep people interested in new hardware," observed Michael Cherry, a Windows analyst at Directions on Microsoft, an independent IT advisory service focused exclusively on Microsoft products.
"However, compelling features such as enhanced security or the ability to run a new class of applications are required to generate enough momentum to change an operating system," he told TechNewsWorld. "Change cannot be for the sake of change."
Windows by Any Other Name
In the past, the next version of Windows was simply called Windows 11. However, when Windows 10 was released, Microsoft stated that it would be the final version with a version number. This has sparked speculation about whether Microsoft will abandon Windows as the operating system's name.
"I'm not surprised if they do. It's probably past time for a rebranding, "According to Jim McGregor, founder and principal analyst at Tirias Research, a Phoenix-based high-tech research and advisory firm.
Because the Windows trademark carries significant value, Cherry believes Microsoft will retain it in some form.
"They may benefit from simply dropping the 10 and renaming the operating system Windows, with some other name or code name designating a specific release or version," he said.
Apple accomplished this when it abandoned OS X in favor of macOS. macOS versions are named after locations, such as Sierra and Monterey.
"Remember that there are versions — Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 — and editions — Home, Pro, and Enterprise — to further complicate the naming," he added.
"It would be ideal if they eliminated editions, but editions are used to differentiate products based on their features and pricing," he added.
Paying for Windows?
Pricing for the new Windows could be an issue.
"Microsoft has maintained the same business model because Windows has been a cash cow, but as Microsoft moves toward more cloud services, their model has shifted, and it's unsurprising to see Windows follow suit," McGregor observed.
"I would attempt to package it with other products," he suggested. "Thus, you are not paying solely for Windows. You're paying for Office and a slew of additional applications."
"You're paying for a suite in the same way that you do today for cable television," he continued. "You receive a slew of extras you don't want, but if you want cable, you're going to have to pay the monthly fee. I'd be surprised if that isn't the case."
If the OS is preinstalled on a PC, Cherry explained, the cost of the OS is included in the purchase price.
"For those who already own a device capable of running the new OS, it becomes a question of whether the goal is to increase OS sales or to keep users on an OS rather than switching to a competing OS," he explained.
"Most likely, there will be a mix of free for those on a currently supported version and potentially a cost for those on an unsupported version," he added.
Windows Subscription Service
Although Microsoft will continue to charge PC makers for preinstalling Windows on their machines as a source of revenue, upgrades to the new OS are likely to be free, according to Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research, a consumer technology advisory firm in New York City.
In some cases, even the fee for preinstalling the operating system may be avoided. Microsoft, for example, waived the fee for installing Windows on tablets in an attempt to compete with the iPad.
"It would not be surprising if certain PC designs that are more Chromebook-like were exempt from the fee," Rubin told TechNewsWorld.
He added that Microsoft may pursue a hybrid pricing strategy for the new operating system.
"Because Microsoft offers a variety of Windows versions — home, professional, and enterprise — it is possible that they will make a basic version of Windows available for free and charge for additional functionality," he explained.
Given that many companies, including Microsoft, have become fixated on charging monthly fees for software, could this be an alternative pricing model for the new Windows?
"It would be extremely difficult for them to compete with Apple and Google if they imposed a subscription fee on Windows alone," Rubin asserted.
Flexible Sunset
Although Windows 10's official end date is October 2025, there may be some wiggle room in that deadline.
"When a Windows version is officially retired, Microsoft typically continues to support it for about two years to give enterprises time to migrate," McGregor explained. "Consumers, on the other hand, may never convert."
Rubin explained that Microsoft has a track record of extending support for Windows versions well beyond their announced end date.
"Given how long Windows 10 has been the flagship operating system — it has a massive installed base — it's unsurprising to see that date pushed back," he said.
"At times, it's related to the uptake of whatever follows," he continued. "If the next version does not resonate, Microsoft may decide to extend the life of Windows 10."
"If it is a stable release that supports existing applications and enables new applications or workflows, it will most likely follow the same path as Windows 7 and Windows 10," Cherry added. "If the operating system is unstable or the changes are too significant or uninteresting, it will almost certainly follow Windows 8."
Courses and Certification
Windows Server 12 Course and Certificate
Windows OS Course and Certificate
Microsoft Access Course and Certificate
