As of today, Microsoft will no longer provide Windows 7 with updates and new functionalities. Nevertheless, the now somewhat outdated operating system is still very popular, especially among business users. Is there life for them after Windows 7?
There is a six-year difference between the launch of Windows 7 and the current Windows 10, but until recently, a majority of PC owners didn't feel like updating their old operating system. It is somewhat reminiscent of the end of support for Windows XP in 2014. Only in January last year did Windows 10 narrowly surpass the older Windows 7 in popularity. However, the difference is minimal: Windows 10 was then installed on 39.22% of the computers compared to 36.90% for Windows 7.
This means that the old operating system is still on many computers, especially for business users who are not eager to upgrade to Windows 10 for the entire company. Fortunately, they are not forced to switch today. There is still life after Windows 7.
Life after Windows 7
“While many of you are already well on your way to deploying Windows 10, we understand that everyone is at a different point in the upgrade process,” Microsoft 365 vice president Jared Spataro told mostly business users. “However, we recognize that it takes time to upgrade devices and implement new update processes.” Spataro announced the Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program last September, which runs until January 2023.
Under the program, Professional or Enterprise customers will receive additional support for Windows 7 for three years, but they will pay a hefty fee for it. The ESUs are sold per device and the price will go up every year. “We want to encourage people to say goodbye to Windows 7, but not in a punishing way,” Spataro said.
High price tag
Nevertheless, the threshold to opt for Extended Security Updates will probably be very high and will only be reserved for large customers with deep pockets. According to Microsoft expert Mary Jo Foley, customers in the past had to pay several million dollars to receive security updates for longer.
A life after Windows 7 will therefore become unaffordable for many after January 14, 2020 and an update to a newer operating system is almost inevitable. This update can be Windows 10, but it doesn't have to be. For example, you can use Windows 8.1 until January 2023.
