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[Kadin]

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/05/13/introducing-windows-10-editions/

Regarding Free upgrade offer

As we announced earlier this year, for the first time ever, we are offering the full versions of Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 Pro as a free and easy upgrade for qualifying Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 devices that upgrade in the first year after launch.** Once you upgrade, you have Windows 10 for free on that device.

Windows 10 Home

The consumer-focused desktop edition. It offers a familiar and personal experience for PCs, tablets and 2-in-1s. Windows 10 Home will help people do great things, both big and small. With it, they will be more productive and have more fun thanks to a long list of new innovations: Cortana, the world’s most personal digital assistant; the new Microsoft Edge web browser; Continuum tablet mode for touch-capable devices; Windows Hello face-recognition, iris and fingerprint login; and right out of the box, a broad range of universal Windows apps like Photos, Maps, Mail, Calendar, Music and Video*.

We are also bringing the Xbox gaming experience to Windows 10, giving games and gamers access to the Xbox Live gaming community, enabling the capture and share of gameplay and giving Xbox One owners the ability to play their Xbox One games from any Windows 10 PC in their home.

Windows 10 Mobile

Designed to deliver the best user experience on smaller, mobile, touch-centric devices like smartphones and small tablets. It boasts the same, new universal Windows apps that are included in Windows 10 Home, as well as the new touch-optimized version of Office. Windows 10 Mobile offers great productivity, security and management capabilities for customers who use their personal devices at work. In addition, Windows 10 Mobile will enable some new devices to take advantage of Continuum for phone, so people can use their phone like a PC when connected to a larger screen.

Windows 10 Pro

A desktop edition for PCs, tablets and 2-in-1s. Building upon both the familiar and innovative features of Windows 10 Home, it has many extra features to meet the diverse needs of small businesses. Windows 10 Pro helps to effectively and efficiently manage their devices and apps, protect their sensitive business data, support remote and mobile productivity scenarios and take advantage of cloud technologies. Windows 10 Pro devices are a great choice for organizations supporting Choose Your Own Device (CYOD) programs and prosumer customers. Windows 10 Pro also lets customers take advantage of the new Windows Update for Business, which will reduce management costs, provide controls over update deployment, offer quicker access to security updates and provide access to the latest innovation from Microsoft on an ongoing basis.

Windows 10 Enterprise

Builds on Windows 10 Pro, adding advanced features designed to meet the demands of medium and large sized organizations. It provides advanced capabilities to help protect against the ever-growing range of modern security threats targeted at devices, identities, applications and sensitive company information. Windows 10 Enterprise also supports the broadest range of options for operating system deployment and comprehensive device and app management. It will be available to our Volume Licensing customers, so they can take advantage of the latest innovation and security updates on an ongoing basis. At the same time, they will be able to choose the pace at which they adopt new technology, including the option to use the new Windows Update for Business. With Windows 10, Enterprise customers will also have access to the Long Term Servicing Branch as a deployment option for their mission critical devices and environments. And as with prior versions of Windows, Active Software Assurance customers in Volume Licensing can upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise as part of their existing Software Assurance benefits.

Windows 10 Education

Builds on Windows 10 Enterprise, and is designed to meet the needs of schools – staff, administrators, teachers and students. This edition will be available through academic Volume Licensing, and there will be paths for schools and students using Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro devices to upgrade to Windows 10 Education.

Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise

Designed to deliver the best customer experience to business customers on smartphones and small tablets. It will be available to our Volume Licensing customers. It offers the great productivity, security and mobile device management capabilities that Windows 10 Mobile provides, and adds flexible ways for businesses to manage updates. In addition, Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise will incorporate the latest security and innovation features as soon as they are available.

There will also be versions of Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise for industry devices like ATMs, retail point of sale, handheld terminals and industrial robotics and Windows 10 IoT Core for small footprint, low cost devices like gateways.

 

[Salsa]

so Pro's the one to get right

 

[terrisus]

so Pro's the one to get right

Unless you qualify for Education.

 

[DJ Lushious]

Unless you qualify for Education.

How does Education differ? I'm starting an Sysadmin gig in Public Education in about a week, so it'll be good to know.

 

[hipbabboom]

The only thing that I think is a letdown is that Home doesn't include BitLocker. No laptop or tablet should be sold without the ability to encrypt your data. It simply makes the OS experience a more secure one and I don't see how that wouldn't be a selling point for anyone.

 

[TheSeks]

so Pro's the one to get right

Or Enterprise which is just Pro for networks, IIRC?

Though why they're doing multiple versions when their "one OS" initiative was supposed to get rid of that is beyond me.

It should be Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise (whichever is the most beneficial) for PC/Win 10 for X720/Win 10 for Mobile.

BOOM. Done.

 

[Guri]

For the first time Pro is basically just Home + features for Small Businesses. Guess I won't be making much use of that, even if I will upgrade to that, since I'm on 8.1 Pro.

Though why they're doing multiple versions when their "one OS" initiative was supposed to get rid of that is beyond me.

It should be Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise (whichever is the most beneficial) for PC/Win 10 for X720/Win 10 for Mobile.

BOOM. Done.

The IoC version is meant for cars, ATMs, etc. The Enterprise and Education versions are adapted to how these markets work. Most users will choose either Home or Pro and Mobile, if they want a Windows Mobile Device.

 

[thesoapster]

So I'm guessing the Pro and Enterprise versions will be the only ones that can bind to AD...sound about right?

edit: Actually, I guess Education would have this ability as well. I thought it was a "student edition" at first, but apparently it's actually for schools and their staff.

 

[terrisus]

How does Education differ? I'm starting an Sysadmin gig in Public Education in about a week, so it'll be good to know.

Generally you have to have a .edu email address to register.

Windows 10 Education builds on Windows 10 Enterprise, and is designed to meet the needs of schools – staff, administrators, teachers and students. This edition will be available through academic Volume Licensing, and there will be paths for schools and students using Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro devices to upgrade to Windows 10 Education.

And, in turn, Windows Enterprise

Windows 10 Enterprise builds on Windows 10 Pro, adding advanced features designed to meet the demands of medium and large sized organizations. It provides advanced capabilities to help protect against the ever-growing range of modern security threats targeted at devices, identities, applications and sensitive company information. Windows 10 Enterprise also supports the broadest range of options for operating system deployment and comprehensive device and app management. It will be available to our Volume Licensing customers, so they can take advantage of the latest innovation and security updates on an ongoing basis. At the same time, they will be able to choose the pace at which they adopt new technology, including the option to use the new Windows Update for Business. With Windows 10, Enterprise customers will also have access to the Long Term Servicing Branch as a deployment option for their mission critical devices and environments. And as with prior versions of Windows, Active Software Assurance customers in Volume Licensing can upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise as part of their existing Software Assurance benefits.

 

[Kadin]

so Pro's the one to get right

Seems to be the version I'll end up getting.

It's interesting that they say the OS will be free for a specific device only instead of a universal license but maybe that's expected since it's a free upgrade to previous owners. If I have 8.1 on multiple machines, licensed, I should get multiple free upgrades right?

 

[Mexen]

Been a pro for years. Not about to change.

 

[soul creator]

can't wait to buy apps for my elevator and ATM

 

[RadioJoNES64]

I wonder which version will be the one that everyone is getting for free.

 

[Sorcerer]

So if I have 8.1 pro right now, I am entitled to a Win 10 pro upgrade for free? Or would that be extra?

 

[Akronis]

Question as I haven't been following Win10 stuff for a while now:

Has MS said anything about Windows using a subscription fee now instead of normal one time payment?

 

[Tworak]

I wonder which version will be the one that everyone is getting for free.

yeah, I wonder this too.

hopefully I won't have to sneak enterprise from work

 

[Pankratous]

Anyone with a technical preview of Windows 10 know if it's been updated enough yet to bother downloading?

 

[Dreamgazer]

I wonder which version will be the one that everyone is getting for free.

The non-retail Windows 10 with Bing edition is my bet.

OP updated it, looks like you get whatever version you had before (win 7 home -> win 10 home. win 8 pro -> win 10 pro, etc)

Whatever it is, I need my RDP.

 

[Shiina]

So what's different about the Education one? Out-of-the-box Office?

 

[Akronis]

The non-retail Windows 10 with Bing edition is my bet.

Whatever it is, I need my RDP.

Teamviewer bruh

 

[Dreamgazer]

Teamviewer bruh

Of course, but I just can't stand not having RDP either.

*stare at Win 8.1 w/ Bing and the RDP wrapper solution*

 

[Hamster Plugin]

I got the Professional versions of Windows 7 and 8 through my university (Dreamspark Premium) so now I wonder if I'm going to get the Professional or Education version of Windows 10. What's the difference between those anyway?

 

[Furyous]

This makes me proud to own an operating system with one version. At most Microsoft should make three versions: home, business, and mobile. Home is for desktops, business is for enterprise, and mobile is for phones/tablets. Scratch the mobile name and come up with something new. Mobile failed once so let's not bring up old memories.

I'm talking all this shit but I'll run this on my rMBP.

 

[SPDIF]

I wonder which version will be the one that everyone is getting for free.

yeah, I wonder this too.

hopefully I won't have to sneak enterprise from work

As mentioned above, it depends on what edition of Windows you're currently using.

So with that in mind:

So if I have 8.1 pro right now, I am entitled to a Win 10 pro upgrade for free? Or would that be extra?

Yes, you'd get Pro for free.

Question as I haven't been following Win10 stuff for a while now:

Has MS said anything about Windows using a subscription fee now instead of normal one time payment?

Microsoft: Windows 10 will not be sold as a subscription

 

[LoveCake]

I have Win7 Pro on my desktop & Win7 Home on my laptop, with the free auto-upgrade thingy will i get Win10 Pro on my desktop?

 

[Currygan]

what's the Ultimate version of this? I'll get that one

 

[OminoMichelin]

I wish they'd stop gating features like this. It's goddamn confusing.

 

[glaurung]

And here I was, hoping that this time they'd abandon this bullshit. How hard is it to print one disc and one box, with simply Windows 10 written on both?

There was heavy speculation into this, especially backed up with the idea that MS would sell extra features as modules later on.

Sign me up for a Pro disc then.

 

[Akronis]

Microsoft: Windows 10 will not be sold as a subscription

fuk ye

 

[Aureon]

Exactly, what are the "Small Business Features"?

 

[Vipershark]

what's the Ultimate version of this? I'll get that one

Looks like Pro since Enterprise is only for Volume Licensing.

But otherwise, Enterpise probably.

 

[dLMN8R]

And here I was, hoping that this time they'd abandon this bullshit. How hard is it to print one disc and one box, with simply Windows 10 written on both?

There was heavy speculation into this, especially backed up with the idea that MS would sell extra features as modules later on.

Sign me up for a Pro disc then.

Why would you want excessive Pro features that no one on earth needs on an 8" tablet running a full Windows desktop? All that extra storage space used up on a device that probably doesn't have much space to begin with.

If you want Windows to be lean enough for cheap devices, ensuring that those devices only have the right features relevant to most users of that device is important.

So having different editions is by far the easiest way to accomplish this.

 

[Ran rp]

With it, they will be more productive and have more fun thanks to a long list of new innovations: Cortana, the world’s most personal digital assistant; the new Microsoft Edge web browser; Continuum tablet mode for touch-capable devices; Windows Hello face-recognition, iris and fingerprint login; and right out of the box, a broad range of universal Windows apps like Photos, Maps, Mail, Calendar, Music and Video*.

Literally nothing that interests me.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Literally nothing that interests me.

Really? Iris login doesn't sound at all appealing to you?

Dude, that's like... future.

 

[AyaisMUsikWhore]

I'm here for the free upgrade. When can we actually do this?

 

[Neverforget]

Whatever version I'll end up wit, I'm just glad to get ride of windows 8.

 

[hateradio]

Will upgrade to Pro since I have 8.1 Pro . . . I hope.

 

[DBT85]

Weird, I've never thought "I need a more fun experience with my OS" before.

I'll be getting a pro license and a home license since I have both of Win 7.

I'll give it a few months of everyone else using it before I go through the reinstall process though. It's about time my main PC was done anyway.

My real question is what does "On that device" mean.

Enthusiasts can change PC components on a regular basis, at which point is my license going to tell me to get screwed.

 

[HowZatOZ]

Has there been any evidence to new Windows 10 mobiles being released this year? I'm running iPhone 6 at the moment and come November I'll be able to upgrade to a new phone for free, really tempted to go windows.

 

[Skux]

For gamers there's no reason to get anything higher than the Home edition.

 

[NoMoreTrolls]

Is there a release date for this?

 

[StillEdge]

Woo! I got that Windows 8.1 pro with Media Center. Pumped for the upgrade.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

so wait, first you unify your versions, then you make different editions anyway.

Does anyone else experience a sudden lack of consistent logic here?

also, how will the upgrade work, exactly? Having to re-install the old OS is not worth the trouble (if for some reason you had to), so do you just get a new key, or an account based license, or....

 

[jediyoshi]

also, how will the upgrade work, exactly? Having to re-install the old OS is not worth the trouble (if for some reason you had to), so do you just get a new key, or an account based license, or....

Seeing as the upgrade extends to pirated copies of Windows, there's probably no check within the timeframe and the update gets passed through Windows Update like anything else.

 

[Majine]

This seems like a backwards way of doing things. I remember when Apple made fun of them for doing this.

 

[poop]

So is Windows 10 Education the ultimate edition since everything else builds up to it?