It’s been roughly eight months since Microsoft announced the next iteration of the Windows operating system, and since then, the company has released numerous preview builds for testers to… well, test. The next step for Microsoft is to release Windows 10 to the public, and the company announced today when that will happen.
Announced via a post on the Windows blog, Windows 10 will become available in two ways on Wednesday, July 29. Users who currently have an installation of Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 will be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10 Home Edition on that date. Starting now, these users can reserve their upgrade by clicking on a Windows logo icon in the system tray, which will ensure that on July 29, the device will automatically download the required upgrade files. For those who don’t currently have Windows installed, Microsoft says that Windows 10 will also be available to purchase from retailers on July 29 at a price of $119.99 for the Home Edition, or $199.99 for the Pro Edition.
Windows 10 is the next step for the classic operating system, and will implement many changes in regards to how it is used. The start menu from Windows 7 and earlier is back, and has merged with the start screen featured in Windows 8 to offer not only lists of applications, but also the live tiles from Windows 8. A search bar has also been implemented into the task bar, which allows users to search through computer files, search the Internet, and perform tasks with the Cortana voice assistant. Internet Explorer will also be replaced with a new web browser titled Microsoft Edge, and DirectX will receive an update to DirectX 12, which can provide games a bit of an extra edge in performance.
Have you tried the Windows 10 preview builds? If so, what are your opinions on Microsoft’s next operating system? Will you be taking advantage of the free upgrade offer? Sound off in the comments section.
Sources: Windows Blog, Neowin
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