In spite of final week;s leak about Windows 7 promotional upgrade pricing,
Genuine Windows 7, Microsoft execs still aren;t willing to speak Windows seven pricing specifics.Bill Veghte, Senior Vice President of Microsoft;s Windows Small business,
Office Home And Business, avoided repeated pricing questions during his appearance on June 8 in the UBS International Technologies and Solutions Conference. Veghte, rather, talked about a number of the “philosophy” behind Microsoft;s Windows seven pricing throughout his 45-minute Q&A session on Monday morning.Veghte told conference attendees that Microsoft;s pricing matrix is complicated. The enterprise has to take into consideration the different set of circumstances for developed and emerging markets; the enterprise, SMB (tiny and medium small business) and consumer segments; and the netbook segments when coming up with a pricing strategy.Veghte dodged concerns by UBS analyst Heather Bellini about how much more (if anything) Microsoft plans to charge PC makers and customers for Windows 7, compared to Windows Vista and Windows XP.All Veghte would say was that Microsoft is planning to focus on good/better/best positioning at retail, with Windows 7 Starter representing the “good” Windows 7 SKU,
Microsoft Office Professional Plus, Windows Home Premium, the “better,
Cheap Office 2007,” and Windows seven Professional, the “best.”Veghte also remained bearish on the effect that Windows 7 will have on PC shipments, in spite of the largely upbeat reviews the product has been receiving from testers.“Within the short run, these (Windows) product releases impact PC growth rates very, very modestly,” Veghte said. This isn;t unique to Windows 7 or these economically challenging times,
Office 2010 Pro, he said. The same was true of Windows 95 and Windows 2000.Veghte also hedged when asked by Bellini about the extent to which Microsoft is expecting Windows 7 to return the provider to the higher premium mix uptake that characterized the beginning of the Windows Vista sales cycle. Veghte said that the economic climate, coupled with the continued demand for the netbook class of PCs made it “pretty hard to tell” whether users will be willing to pay more for Windows 7 versions that include more features.Various users — especially quite a few Windows Vista users who feel they should be paid by Microsoft for their trials and tribulations with Windows 7;s predecessor — think anything other than a free upgrade from Vista to seven will be too much. Some are incensed that Microsoft will be offering users who buy new Vista PCs between June 26 (the expected start of the Windows seven Upgrade Program) and October 22 (Windows seven;s general availability date) a free copy of Windows seven.“That;s just wonderfully magnanimous of Microsoft to give free upgrades to users who buy Vista a month before Win seven;s launch. What about me? I have Vista 64 bought in January. I;ve doled out a hundred and some odd bucks for 7 months use. Is that fair?” asked one such user, Dan Dyer.According to industry scuttlebutt, Microsoft could release Windows seven pricing as soon as next week. What do you think the corporation could — and should — do to entice both Vista and XP users to upgrade?