If you are yet to avail the free upgrade to Windows 10 then you should hurry as the promotion will expire on July 29. However, if you are a user of assistive technologies, then you can breathe easy as this will not be applicable for you.
On May 6, Microsoft announced that the July deadline for the free Windows 10 upgrade promotion will not be pertinent for users who deploy assistive technologies such as screen readers built into Windows 10. These users will continue to benefit from the upgrades even past the deadline and need not pay for the license.
"The free Windows 10 upgrade offer for customers running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 is set to end on July 29, but we want to clarify that that deadline will *not* apply to customers who use assistive technologies," noted Microsoft's Daniel Hubbell.
Hubbell added that the company's commitment to deliver on its promises and accessibility vision for the OS was ongoing. Microsoft would also ensure that those who deployed assistive technologies would have the chance of upgrading to the OS free of cost even as it continued to pursue its visions.
On May 5, Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi gently reminded users that the company would be sticking to the plan of enabling users who upgraded from Windows 7.1/8.1 to upgrade to the current OS for free for exactly a year since the OS' launch. Therefore, post July 29, those looking to upgrade to Windows 10 will have to shell out money for the license. Purchasing the Windows 10 Home will set consumers back by $119.
Currently, there are nearly 300 million devices worldwide running on Windows 10, Tech Times reported. Microsoft is setting its sights on increasing this figure to a billion by next year.
Microsoft is yet to spill the beans on how users of assistive technologies (and who are on Windows 10) will be able to avail the continued free upgrade offer. However, the company asks users to "stay tuned" for additional details in the coming weeks.
