Windows 10 is a free upgrade for Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 users but enterprise users will have to pay for it. If the upgrade wasn't free to you, would you have paid for it, and how much?
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Many users have never paid for their operating system separately, as it came with their computer. A full license or an upgrade of previous Windows version where everything besides free. Windows 95, was sold at a suggested retail price of $209.95 and an upgrade from Windows 3.11 had a price of $109.95. Windows 98 retailed at $209.00 and an upgrade costed $109.00 when upgrading from Windows 3.1, 3.11, 95. Windows ME used the same pricing scheme.
Windows XP introduced multiple versions, the Home edition had a retail price of $199, while an upgrade costed $99. Windows XP Professional added $100, setting you back $299 for retail and $199 for an upgrade version.
Windows Vista introduced even more different versions, but to given an impression, Windows Vista Home Basic was $199 and for $179 you could get extra licenses. An upgrade costed $100. A license for Windows Vista Home Premium costed $239 while an upgrade to that OS was $159.
For a full version of Windows 7 Home edition you paid $199.99 at its introduction, while an upgrade was $119.99. Windows 8 had a retail price of $119.99 while the Professional edition costed $199.99.
Windows 10 breaks with this scheme, the OS will be free to consumers when they upgrade in the first year after the release of Windows 10. For enterprises Windows 10 won't be a free upgrade but Microsoft has not disclosed any pricing details for enterprise users yet.
