The cat's out of the bag.
What you need to know
- Microsoft unveiled its cloud OS solution at its Inspire 2021 event.
- Pricing was not explicitly outlined at the event.
- Even so, at least one instance of pricing was revealed.
At Microsoft Inspire 2021, the company revealed Windows 365, a cloud operating system service that will allow you to stream Windows 10 or Windows 11 to any device. Be it an iPad, Mac, or Android-powered tablet, you'll be able to have the Windows experience wherever you go with whatever tech you have on hand.
Though audiences were given an idea of Windows 365's functionality, Microsoft didn't detail pricing plans for the service. At least, not initially. Later on, during an Inspire session outlining the signup process for the service, pricing was partially revealed. For the price of $31 per month, you can get 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and 2vCPU.
In a statement to The Verge, a Microsoft spokesperson elaborated on the reveal. "This is pricing for just one SKU," they said. "Microsoft will have many more options, both in terms of configurations and price points, to share when the product becomes generally available on August 2nd."
In the same report with the spokesperson's statement, it's mentioned that $31 per month won't be the cheapest configuration, as there will be a weaker Windows 365 experience available offering 2GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and 1vCPU. Next to these specs, there are scenarios listed that give examples of where the aforementioned Windows 365 plan would be useful. Frontline workers and call centers are listed as two groups that could resort to the weakest plan.
On the flip side, there will also be many more expensive, technologically capable variants of the cloud OS service that go well beyond $31 per month. Pricing for these other configurations remains unclear, though the pricing model above does allow for calculated guesses.
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