Microsoft announced today that Windows 10 home users can delay the switch to Windows 11 for one more year if they’re willing to pay $30 for Extended Security Updates (ESU).
Windows 10 will reach the end of support on October 14, 2025. After this date, Windows 10 systems will no longer receive bug fixes or security updates patching newly discovered vulnerabilities and defending them from the latest security threats.
However, Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) and Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) releases catering to specialized devices, such as those controlling industrial and medical equipment, will receive updates beyond October 2025.
Statcounter Global Stats data shows over 62% of all Windows systems still run Windows 10, while only 33% run Windows 11, three years after its October 2021 launch.
Microsoft advises home users who want to switch before Windows 10 reaches the end of support to check if their PC can be upgraded to Windows 11 and buy a new Windows 11 PC if not.
I could see work using this. We didn’t switch from 7 to 10 until we couldn’t get 7 updated anymore. For me though…we’ll have to see how I vibe. My main computer can run 11, and I’m thinking that when I have to do that, I’ll dual boot Mint onto it, but is not having to do that until '26 worth it? We’ll see.
It’s an '18 laptop, but I just put ~$500USD into fixing it this year, so it living longer would be good.
I don’t see the actual problem in here. You can still use the OS (you shouldn’t, of course). And just look at Ubuntu (or any other distro), they are charging for ESM (extended security maintenance) €150 a year.
So €30 once isn’t that much, and I don’t think that this is bad. If you need Windows, then upgrade to 11 or pay Microsoft €30 to maintain the security of an outdated OS. Or, for a better solution, switch to Linux.
Microsoft’s approach to hardware upgrades confuses me because they assume individuals have ample financial resources. It is not like people want to keep outdated devices. Instead, they have to prioritize essential necessities like food, utilities, and rent. This will always make computer upgrades last on someone’s budget.
The Windows 11 upgrade is significant because it includes advanced security features like Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and UEFI Secure Boot, as a must for the OS. However, these security features aren’t supported by older motherboards, making the upgrade necessary for security standards.
My concern is the lack of incentive programs by Microsoft to encourage the purchase of new machines, especially for lower-income individuals.
Potential strategies could include implementing trade-in programs that offer a $500 discount instead of discarding the old PC and its components. Another incentive could be a year-long generous discount on Microsoft Surface products.
Microsoft has the financial means to implement these initiatives. By doing so, they can retain customers, encourage continued subscriptions, and maintain their ecosystem. It baffles me why they haven’t done this already.
The “problem” here is that MSFT is the only company that does this for their OS. Apple doesn’t. Linux doesn’t- as their updates are always free.
Microsoft doing this feels a dick move and almost shameful that they’d go this far to get another 30 dollars from a highly non private and data collecting operating system. It shows the lack of respect and value they have for their customers.
It’s analogous to arguing with a small sandwich shop for why they’re charging 2 more dollars for extra cheese when your net worth is a million dollars.
If you don’t realize or understand or know that updates or upgrades with non Microsoft operating systems are free - then I don’t know how to answer your comment because it makes no sense to me.
Enterprise or corporate pricing if obviously different - but otherwise, I I don’t see a point.
Extended supports may cost obviously doesn’t need to
Let’s try to stick to the real world. A full-boat Microsoft Enterprise user doesn’t earn Microsoft $500 in NET REVENUE every two years. A full-boat Mirosoft Personal user doesn’t generate $500 in NET REVENUE every five years. My 2018 Surface Pro 6 runs Windows 11 well enough for general document editing and web browsing.
Microsoft isn’t a charity and it isn’t a government entitlement program. It would be nice if hardware manufacturers designed their products to be easily and affordably upgraded, but that would increase their initial size, weight and cost, which market experience says is not what customers want.
Microsoft doesn’t need to working about retaining customers. The Office document format is a defacto industry standard. And what is the alternative? MacOS or Linux MacOS is nice, but you don’t see Apple giving any discounts to try and increase market share. Linux is a disaster for the average business and home user. Libre Office, Apple Works and Google Workspace all have interoperability issues with each other and Office that make them unsuitable for use when you need to share documents with other companies.
No Linux distro offers 10+ years of free OS updates for any release. Sure, you can upgrade to the next release of Linux for free, just as you can upgrade from Win10 to Win11 for free. Win10 has had free updates for 10 years, the only OS that comes close is Ubuntu LTS with $150/yr Pro Support.
Win10 collects a lot less activity info than Win11. If that’s what you want, the $30 should be worthwhile. Otherwise, upgrade to Win11 for free. Just because Win11 is reluctant to install without certain hardware requirements doesn’t mean it’s impossible to install. There are well-documented work-arounnds.
I didn’t say they were a charity, but I think they should offer incentives to encourage people to switch to Windows 11, especially those who are on a tight budget. They do this with gaming consoles and other products, so why can’t they do it with PCs too?
If Microsoft wants to keep its customers secure, and keep their trust, they need to do something. Otherwise, people will find other alternatives, like throwing out their PCs and sticking to budget phones only, or switching to free operating systems.
I believe Microsoft is only hurting itself by ignoring the needs of ordinary consumers.
How companies should handle their situations is totally up to interpretation. I understand that big businesses are all about making money and pleasing their shareholders. But sometimes, CEOs and executives make mistakes that hurt their overall goals. As they’re sometimes only focused on the bottom line. Companies aren’t permanent; consumers can make or break a company’s future.
You/people have your opinions on how a company should deal/manage/treat their customers with a software product they offer and why this approach from MSFT is okay or not and I have mine.
Companies already offer incentives to upgrade for other products, such as with deals, discounts, and trade-ins for old hardware parts, for phones, gaming consoles, and other products. That’s what I mean by incentives to upgrade. How Microsoft chooses to implement these incentives is up to them.
No, what I mean is already explained above.
Windows 11 does require TPM. That is the whole point why people haven’t upgraded as they can’t afford to buy a motherboard that supports it or they don’t have the money for an entire new PC.
I wasn’t making that part of the thread to debate. About security standards.
I was just pointing out how Microsoft is restricting upgrades because of these security features for Windows 11. That is why some PCs don’t fit the requirements to upgrade.
That is how it pertains to the $30 extended updates, as they are not a permanent solution. Therefore, I was emphasizing the security features required for Windows 11. If Microsoft genuinely wants these security features to become standard (as they are making it a requirement), they need to find a way to encourage people to transition to Windows 11. With (incentives) for low-income individuals.
I thought we agreed that this part of the discussion wasn’t part of the thread.
So, why are we talking about it? Since you want to discuss this topic, I’ll just write this and be done with it.
A Trusted Platform Module (TPM): is usually a physical chip on a computer’s motherboard, but it can also be embedded in the processor
Secure Boot: A security standard that ensures a PC boots with only trusted software from the manufacturer. Secure Boot is built into the UEFI firmware
If you haven’t upgraded your PC in a while, you might not have a new motherboard or CPU. That’s because Windows 11 needs both secure boot and a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to work. So, you won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11 if that is the case.
A newer motherboard is needed for a newer UEFI firmware, and newer hardware is needed for TPM. So, if you haven’t upgraded in decades, you might not have a new motherboard or CPU for these features.