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Microsoft trademarks 'Windows 365' name

by Mark Tyson on 9 February 2015, 09:20

Tags: Windows 10

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We know that software as a service is an attractive idea to software companies which seek to balance out the cyclical peaks and troughs of their business. Right now Microsoft is suffering from a lack of Windows sales as evidenced by its latest set of financials. It is in a trough between Windows 8 and Windows 10. Also it's been a while since it offered a new Office suite. On the other hand Adobe enjoyed a 20 per cent uplift in revenue, albeit deferred in our most recent report, thanks to the success of its Creative Cloud subscription model which has an added benefit of lower peaks and shallower troughs in cash flow.

Patent screenshot

Microsoft has been tiptoeing towards subscription software and has run its Office 365 subscription program for quite some time - but without phasing out the Office desktop suite software. Actually Microsoft recently revealed plans to work on the Microsoft Office 2016 desktop suite, it's scheduled for H2 2015. But what about Windows, will it ever become a subscription service?

Interestingly Neowin reveals that Microsoft has recently filed for the 'Windows 365' trademark. With this move it looks like Redmond has set the wheels in motion to at last providing some kind of Windows subscription offering.

However it's hard to see what any subscription could be for right now as we've just heard that Windows 10 would be a free upgrade for Windows 7 & 8 owners. It is most probably a very early move for something beyond Windows 10, or could even be just a move to trademark the name before someone else makes a claim to it.

Concepts behind a possible Windows 365 model

Windows 10 Season Pass

Conspicuous by their absence at the recent Windows 10 event were any pricing details for Windows 10. A month before the event we heard Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner talking about monetising Windows, how it wouldn't be a 'loss leader' and that there would be a new business model going forward. "We've got to monetise it differently. And there are services involved," Turner said. He elaborated to say that Microsoft would "monetize the lifetime of that customer through services and different add-ons that we're (going) to be able to incorporate with that solution". That sounds like you might buy Windows and then choose to get the 365 Season Pass? What do HEXUS readers think?



HEXUS Forums :: 46 Comments

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I think that the promise of free upgrades to Windows 10 for the first year is just that. After the first year everyone who gort the “free” upgrade will be invited to take out a subscription for Windows 365.
I think they will burn in hell if they try and force a subscription on people just to use there PC's and laptops, however if its a secondary way of having windows along side the regular ‘pay £75 and its yours’ model then they might get away with it.
DemonHighwayman
I think they will burn in hell if they try and force a subscription on people just to use there PC's and laptops, however if its a secondary way of having windows along side the regular ‘pay £75 and its yours’ model then they might get away with it.

Agreed
I can't see Microsoft moving to subscription for any of the core elements of the OS, at least not in the foreseeable future. My (completely uninformed) guess would be that ‘Windows 365’ would be a re-branding exercise combining Office 365, Skype subscription and OneDrive backup subscription under one umbrella (and one payment).

Or am I being blissfully naive?!
MiloFo
I think that the promise of free upgrades to Windows 10 for the first year is just that. After the first year everyone who gort the “free” upgrade will be invited to take out a subscription for Windows 365.
Thats what i'm thinking, and by “invited” that will mean ‘forced’ or the OS will be deliberately crippled.