“Microsoft announced its intention to slash the price of its latest OS, unveiled in January 2007,” Max Brenn reports for eFluxMedia.
“Citing as a reason, its desire to urge the adoption of Windows Vista, Microsoft said that the price of its Windows Vista Ultimate, the fully-featured version of the OS, will be $319 instead of $399,” Brenn reports. “Also, those who already own a copy of Windows XP or a version of Windows Vista will pay to upgrade to Ultimate only $219 and not $259.”
“Microsoft will also cut prices for upgrade versions of Vista Home Premium, its mainstream product, to $129 from $159. The price cuts will apply in 73 countries, but they could vary from one country to another,” Brenn reports. “Also, the software giant will stop selling ‘upgrade’ versions of Vista in emerging markets and it will instead sell Vista Home Premium and Home Basic, a stripped-down version, at the upgrade prices.”
Brenn reports, “PC World, the guys behind the ‘top 100 high-tech products of the year,’ has labeled the OS as one of the biggest disappointments of 2007.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “amex” and “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
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We’ve been hearing a lot about the Economic Slowdown™ and its effect on Apple’s consumer-centric business. But this seems to be exactly what’s hurting Microsoft. When times are tough, I’ll hold off on buying an iPod if I already have one. But it looks like people are still buying iPods in healthy numbers.
But when times are tough, do I choose to spend 400 bucks on a new operating system that doesn’t do anything appreciably better than the one I have, will likely require me to upgrade my hardware, as well as many of my apps, all for the prize of having to deal with the new security system and crappy beta hardware drivers?
Oh, and I get Aero.
….
Which aisle are the iPods on, again?
Maybe it will help sell Zunes? How many Zunes have been sold the last quarter Zune Tongued?
For anyone who is used to Leopard, MS would have to pay considerably more than 500 a month to achieve a switch to Vista.
Mmm and imagining it for a second…. uurgh, no, even then I wouldn’t.
Let’s have a poll on how much it would take MDN.
@ Macaday
MS would have to pay me at least my salary to switch to Vista, since I’d no longer be able to get any work done.
What is Vista?
I would need more than Ballmer’s hourly snack budget.
translation
we will sell you more crap soon
@ Ampar
Now come on, be realistic. That could feed Darfur.
You couldn’t GIVE me a copy for free.
MS issues a VISA credit card? Wow, did not know that. I’m switching to MasterCard.
Need a good laugh? Microsoft has a contest for its partners. The prize—a mighty incentive—is a Zune! That’ll really get them motivated.
Their partner web site has not been functioning correctly for about three months. They are working on it.
I think Microsoft is like a very large mansion with termites. One day soon, there will be this huge noise, and it will all be over.
@ Charlie
Barad Dür.
Gee a frikken Red-Tag special from Redmond. I feel special.
The cutting-edge Vista OS is selling so well, Microsoft decided to employ the little-used but radical marketing strategy of price-slashing in order to boost sales to an even higher level and thus reap greater monetary rewards.
Meanwhile, my breath smells like ass.
What?!? MDN didn’t add his 2¢ and take the opportunity to give Microshaft a wedgie on this one? Is he slipping?
megame, you’re doing the same thing I’m doing…Windows XP Pro + Office 03 using Parallels on an aluminum iMac.
I’m starting a business from home and mentally, the rest of the world is still stuck using five-year-old Windows technology, so I have to have it just to interact. I only use it when I need it, I refused to pay much for it, and I’m lovin’ Leopard!
In spite of Poon Tang’s spin cycle bullshit, I wouldn’t touch Vista with yours, if you know what I’m saying, whether it’s cheaper, free, whatever.
Peace.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
Olmecmystic
When I saw the headline I was expecting Vista Ultimate to appear competitive (in price) with Leopard – but 399 to 319? It would be still too much at half the price! They should just make it freeware, at least it would be closer to it’s true value.
Re: “slash the price”
If the price of MS stock goes down a few dollars, Ballmer loses a few billion. It’s all about perspective.
A sign of Micro$oft gasping for air.
still costs more than Mac OS X
This is because it was selling so so well.
Just like their brown mp3 turd players.
When you produces too many… you got to discount them because no one wants to stock them.
Yet another sign of Vista SUCKING real bad.
@ You call that a slash
& others
if they slashed it any more early adopters would cry foul… give it another few months
And so it is – Down they go.
To help pay for the discount and also to improve the bottom line, MS has quietly increased the price of Windows XP…
What, it could happen.