If Windows 8.1 was free…

Microsoft is reportedly experimenting with the prospect of making its operating system available for free, at least as an upgrade for users of (legitimate) Windows 7. The necessary integration with Bing is unclear, as searches across the operating system, folders and system files on the WWW are done anyway with Bing Smart Search (but not email) in the paid version of Windows 8.1. It remains unclear how the free version of Windows will lead to an increase in subscribers to Microsoft cloud services, such as Office.com, (Skydrive aka) OneDrive or Skype, services to which it also refers from the paid version. It goes without saying that if Windows were free, then the chances of more users registering for Microsoft services in the cloud would be higher, although the competition is now fierce.
Microsoft, however, is said to be considering installing the Windows Phone version of the Windows smartphone version at significantly lower prices for phone manufacturers.

The same is true for Windows 8.1, at least on low-cost computers and laptops (less than 250 dollars), where Google already has a suggestion (ChromeOS on Chromebooks).

On the other hand, Apple has already dropped the glove on Microsoft. On October 22, 2013, on the occasion of the release of OS X Mavericks for Mac, Tim Cook told Redmond that "it's time to open a new chapter in the history of software, to move into a new era in which the upgrade of operating systems it will be free ". Since then, Apple has established that the upgrade will be available free of charge directly from OS X Snow Leopard, Lion or Mountain Lion.

However, such a decision, the first major decision of the new CEO, Satia Nandela, will be very difficult to take. The cloud market is clearly fragmented, with users having two or three accounts in each cloud service.

Οι χρήστες Gmail καλούνται να τηρούν συγχρονισμένα τα αρχεία τους στο Google Drive και να συρρεύσουν στο Google+ εγκαταλείποντας το Facebook, ενώ παράλληλα χρησιμοποιούν την αυτόματη μεταφορά αρχείων από το Android smartphone τους. App, music and movies buy from Play Store.

Windows 8.1 users have mail in Outlook.com and keep files synchronized in OneDrive while their photos are automatically uploaded with Camera Upload from Windows smartphone. App, music, and movies are referred to the Windows Store.

Finally, users of Apple products have everything bundled up in the company's cloud services, unless they veer off next to the mac mini or macbook τολμήσουν να τοποθετήσουν το τελευταίο μοντέλο Samsung Galaxy S.

Frequently, however, is the dispersion of photos and contacts and / or friends into different services from different devices, which no longer guarantees that a free operating system could guarantee a similar increase in subscribers and users.