Windows 10 will be the last version of windows

      The most important announcement at Microsoft's Windows 10 demo in Redmond the other day wasn't Cortana, or even holograms.

      It was these four words: Windows as a Service. It means Windows 10 will be the last version of windows family from Microsoft. So, now onwards there will be no version differences everyone will be using Windows 10.

What Windows-as-a-Service Means?

Windows-as-a-Service means that once customers install Windows 10, they will essentially be registered with Microsoft to receive rolling, free feature additions, improvements, and updates. This is not too far off course from what we experience today with Windows Update, and this updating mechanism will mostly likely continue to be the vehicle to make this happen for Windows 10. Microsoft has been notorious over the last couple years silently including new features in some of its updates almost as if it was testing the waters for what Windows 10 will provide. It means Windows 8, 8.1 was preparation for Windows 10.

Also it is declared that Windows 10 will be the free upgrade made available to customers running Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 who upgrade in the first year after launch.

Now I will present you statement written by Terry Myerson on Windows Blog

We'll deliver new features when they're ready, not waiting for the next major release. We think of Windows as a Service -- in fact, one could reasonably think of Windows in the next couple of years as one of the largest Internet services on the planet. And just like any Internet service, the idea of asking 'What version are you on?' will cease to make sense."

Pros:

1: Microsoft is thinking about device lifespans rather than Windows versions

"This is more than a one-time upgrade: once a Windows device is upgraded to Windows 10, we will continue to keep it current for the supported lifetime of the device - at no cost. With Windows 10, the experience will evolve and get even better over time. We'll deliver new features when they're ready, not waiting for the next major release.

2: Grand unification of Windows

With Windows 10 Microsoft is finally removing the fence that separates PCs from mobile. No more Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista, Windows 8.1, Windows Phone... just Windows.

3: People love free stuff

People love free stuff, and the chance to get Windows 10 for free will no doubt generate buzz and goodwill. On top of that, the announcement that everyone gets a free upgrade means that PC sales won't get hit as people wait for the new release.

Cons

1: What about the future costs?

While Windows 10 will be offered free of charge to Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows Phone 8.1 for a year, questions remain about the long-term model. Will this be a pay-per-device model, a yearly contract, or some hybrid depending on what the user wants?

Right now Microsoft is not willing to talk about dollars and cents.

2: OEMs are left out in the cold

Windows as a Service means no more big monolithic upgrade cycles, which in turn means that hardware OEMs don't get to enjoy the harvest time that follows. PC sales are already subdued and new releases of Windows don't seem to do that much to buoy them anyway, so the effect shouldn't be catastrophic for OEMs, but it could still mean trouble ahead, especially for the smaller players.

3: Upgrading can be hell

Microsoft is hoping that offering free Windows 10 upgrades people won't hold off buying new PCs in the run up to the release. However, canny buyers know that operating system updates can be hell, especially when you are dealing with OEM-built systems.

Being offered a free upgrade doesn't mean that the future won't be paved with driver issues and software incompatibilities.

       Right now the idea of a free upgrade to Windows 10 smells good, but beyond that there will be uncertainty. Enterprise users will be especially sensitive to any licensing changes that will result in increased costs.