Windows 10 Release Date Revealed: How To Upgrade For Free

If you’re eagerly awaiting Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 10, then it looks like you don’t have long to wait. Late July looks set to be the launch period for the new OS, with hardware partner AMD accidentally spilling the beans. This means we have less than 15 weeks to go before the new OS ships.

Windows 10 is widely anticipated to turn the lacklustre sales of Windows 8 around and convince the remaining Windows XP and Windows 7 users to upgrade too.

The news doesn’t actually come from Microsoft, but one of its partners, AMD, which is better known for making CPUs and graphics cards. Specifically, AMD’s CEO, Lisa Su, let slip the date during a quarterly earnings conference call:

What we also are factoring in is, you know, with the Windows 10 launch at the end of July, we are watching sort of the impact of that on the back-to-school season, and expect that it might have a bit of a delay to the normal back-to-school season inventory build-up.

I’d say the information is highly reliable given AMD’s stance in the industry, the fact it’s a Microsoft hardware partner and the fact Microsoft has specified a summer launch for Windows 10 anyway.

Aligning the launch so there’s a bedding in period for the ‘back to school’ season – a time when extra numbers of laptops and PCs are sold, makes sense too, as retailers can use the new OS as a selling point.

Free upgrade for some, get it via Windows Update

For the rest of us, when July comes around here’s what to do. The OS will be free to download for Windows 7, Windows 8/8.1 and Windows phone. Upgrading in the first year after release will be cost-free and this is likely to remain the case too – you’ll only be hit with a fee if you miss this one year window, although there is speculation as to how Microsoft MSFT +1.08% will make money from the OS – perhaps with additional features or updates in future.

So there’s no need to head to your nearest PC store to pick up a copy. As I reported back in January, not only is the new OS free to most users, but Microsoft confirmed to me it will be dishing it out via Windows Update.