Reports have come out saying Microsoft is going to start charging monthly for Windows 10. Microsoft is apparently coming out with a new schtick called "Microsoft Managed Desktop," a cloud-based desktop management service.
Reports allege that this service is going to cost all users a monthly fee at some point, which is both right and wrong. Once again, this whole thing is an example of clickbait and sensationalist reporting, with the reports giving critics one more reason to mourn the death of great tech reporting.
Is Microsoft Going To Start Charging A Monthly Fee For Windows 10?
In other words, don't believe the reports. Yes, Microsoft is indeed launching a "desktop as a service" plan — but only for businesses, and that plan also includes hardware, not just software.
The flurry of false information triggered when the aforementioned Microsoft Managed Desktop started circulating around the web. One misleading article even went as far as to declare that the Redmond company is "getting ready to replace Windows 10 with the Microsoft Managed Desktop," which is obviously not true.
Microsoft Managed Desktop is simply an option for businesses, as HowToGeek explains, and it includes Windows 10. It's not replacing the operating system at all.
Here's What You Need To Know About Microsoft Managed Desktop
As ZDNet notes in its report about the service, Microsoft Managed Desktop will require a single monthly fee that lets businesses or organizations lease a PC that's automatically set up for whatever that business is. The PC will run Windows 10 and Microsoft will ensure it's always up to date, and that those updates don't introduce problems.
Again, the Microsoft Managed Desktop is an optional subscription service for letting Microsoft manage a desktop, which happens to be running Windows 10. It is not a new type of operating system that Microsoft plan to roll out and charge users a monthly fee for. The two are completely different concepts.
Some people might be wondering why there's a need for a service like Microsoft Managed Desktop. Well, some small businesses can pay Microsoft to manage a fleet of desktops instead of hiring an entire IT department just to take care of them, which would probably be more expensive.
So, long story short: Microsoft isn't going to start charging a monthly fee just for using Windows 10. It will, however, offer a new plan for businesses who want a desktop fleet managed remotely, and that plans includes PCs with Windows 10 in them.
