Battle against piracy: Microsoft to offer free upgrade of Windows 10 to all users

By Newsgram Staff Writer

World technical giant Microsoft Corp to overcome its battle against piracy, is making its biggest push into the pirated Chinese consumer computing market by offering free upgrades to Windows 10 to all users, irrespective of whether they are running genuine copies of the software or not.

After launching the Anti Piracy movement and encountering forfeited Microsoft OS pre-installed in numerous PCs being sold in China in 2012, this step is an unparalleled attempt by the MNC to get legitimate versions of hundreds of millions of Windows users in China.

Terry Myerson, who runs Microsoft's operating systems unit, announced the plan at the WinHEC technology conference in Shenzhen, China.

He also confirmed the awaited release of Windows 10 globally "this summer". This is the first time Microsoft has set a time frame for the launch unlike earlier times.

"We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10," he said in a telephone interview with Reuters. The plan is to "re-engage" with the hundreds of millions of users of Windows in China, he added.

Microsoft is working in collaboration with Lenovo Group Ltd to implement the roll out of Windows 10 in China to current Windows users. It is also offering upgrades through Qihoo 360 Technology Co and Tencent Holdings Ltd, China's biggest networking company responsible to build a Windows 10 mobile and PC app for QQ gaming and messaging service.

Microsoft has also been working with China's smartphone giant Xiaomi Technology Co ltd which uses Android OS, to offer the use of Windows 10 on some of its handsets as a pilot project.