Windows 10 Will Remain A Free Upgrade For Customers Using Assistive Technologies
Microsoft announced last week what we all knew was coming: the end of the free gravy train for Windows 10 upgrades. Windows 10 launched as a free upgrade for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users on July 29th 2015, and starting on July 30th, 2016, everyone looking to make the upgrade will pay $119. Well, everyone with the exception of one group: those with accessibility needs.
The clarification to the Windows 10 upgrade policy was posted on the Microsoft Accessibility Blog:
As you may have heard, the free Windows 10 upgrade offer for customers running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is set to end on July 29, but we want to clarify that that deadline will *not* apply to customers who use assistive technologies. We are continuing to deliver on our previously-shared vision for accessibility for Windows 10 and we are committed to ensuring that users of assistive technologies have the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 10 for free as we do so.
Free upgrades to Windows 10 for most customers won’t be the only that ends on July 30th, however. Microsoft made it clear last week that its often annoying nag screens that persuade users to upgrade to Windows 10 will be cease to “pop-up” on that date. This is welcome news to users that for whatever reason have absolutely no interest in upgrading to Microsoft’s latest operating system.
Windows 10 has been in the spotlight in recent weeks for its overzealous upgrade campaign, which just so happened to catch a meteorologist off-guard during her daily weathercast. Luckily, she was able to deftly navigate the situation without any ill-effects.
Twitch streamer and fervent Counter Strike player Erik Flom had no such luck when Windows 10 Automatic Updates torpedoed his live stream right in the middle of marathon Counter Strike: Global Offensive gaming session. Needless to say, Flom had more than a few F-bombs to drop on Microsoft for the interruption.
