Microsoft is set to announce something big on 24 June 2021.
A few weeks before the announcement date, there has been a purported leaked build of Windows 11 online and many got a copy and shared their experiences and impressions.
There are also many people who think that the leaked Windows 11 ISO build is fake and is planted by hackers.
However, there seems to be evidence that the Windows 11 leak is real.
Microsoft has sent a DMCA notice to Google to remove a page from a technology site that contains the leaked Windows 11 ISO link. This DMCA claim basically confirms that the leak is in fact true.
Will Windows 11 be offered as a free upgrade?
Although that has not been confirmed by Microsoft, this is what could happen.
Windows 10 was the first major consumer Windows version to be offered as a free upgrade.
Windows 7 and Windows 8 users were able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.
This free upgrade was initially offered for a year. However, users were still able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, long after that deadline.
Providing a free Windows 10 upgrade has allowed Microsoft to increase the operating system’s user base.
With competition from macOS and ChromeOS, where both offer free upgrades to their operating system, it seems unlikely that Microsoft will start charging for OS upgrades.
If Windows 11 is going to be offered as a free upgrade, Windows 10 users will be able to do it. However, Windows 7 and Windows 8 users may not be offered a free Windows 11 upgrade. This may be due to the age of the hardware for Windows 7 and Windows 8 machines.
Windows 7 was launched in 2009 and Windows 8 was launched in 2012. The old hardwares might not be able to support Windows 11’s minimum requirements.
I do think there will be workarounds to upgrade Windows 7 and Windows 8 users. However, the system performance may not be satisfactory and may frustrate users.
Although Windows 11 upgrade may be provided for free, it will still cost you money to get a new copy. If you are getting a new laptop or computer which comes with Windows 11, the cost of the operating system is already factored into the cost.
If you are building a computer, you will need to get a licensed copy of Windows 11.
It is also possible that Microsoft might offer Windows 11 as a subscription service, just like how they are offering their Office applications.
We can only guess so far.
To find out the truth, we will need to wait for Microsoft to reveal it’s next generation of Windows on June 24th.
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