Microsoft announced Windows 8.1 with Bing, which is a new version of the operating system that will soon begin to ship exclusively on low-cost hardware.
Users who will be using Windows 8.1 with Bing will experience no differences compared to those using the standard version of Windows 8.1. There are no restrictions as you would be expecting from a "cheap" release of Windows. Instead, much of the differences will be felt by the companies that are creating the Windows-based devices.
OEMs are given lower licensing fees for Windows 8.1 with Bing. The tradeoff, simply, is that the manufacturer should ship their product with Bing as the default search engine in Internet Explorer. Consumers can choose to switch to another default search engine though Internet Explorer settings, however. As to how much lower the licensing fees are for OEMs that choose to ship their products with Windows 8.1 with Bing, the information is unknown.
In addition to having Bing as the default search engine, Microsoft adds that some devices, most of which are tablets, will come with a pre-installed version of Microsoft Office. Some will even include a free subscription to Office 365 for one year.
"The end result is that more people-across consumer and commercial-will have access to an even broader selection of new devices with all the awesomeness that Windows 8.1 provides, and get Office too, all at a really affordable price. Additionally, as reach expands, the opportunity for developers and their apps also increases," said Windows in a statement posted on the Windows Experience blog.
Rumors about Windows 8.1 with Bing were first heard in February, at which it was suggested that this version of Windows will be overflowing with Microsoft services to decrease the cost of the operating system, and possibly even release it as free to OEMs.
"Windows 8.1 with Bing helps OEMs add Windows to low-cost devices while driving end user usage of Microsoft Services such as Bing and OneDrive," said documentation that was released last March.
Windows 8.1 with Bing will be sold exclusively to OEMs, which means that consumers will not be able to purchase a standalone copy of this version of Windows.
An announcement on the first products that will feature Windows 8.1 with Bing will be released in the coming weeks.
Windows 8.1 is already free for smartphones, small-screen tablets and other Internet devices that measure under 8 inches. However, it would be hard to see Microsoft giving away Windows 8.1 with Bing for free similar to Google's Chrome OS.
