Windows 11 launches on Oct. 5
Microsoft said Tuesday it will start offering free upgrades to Windows 11, the next version of its desktop operating system, to eligible PCs on Oct. 5, CNBC reported.
Windows, originally released in 1985, remains a key piece of Microsoft's business. In its fiscal fourth quarter, Windows delivered $6.6 billion in revenue, representing 14% of the software and hardware company's total sales. A successful release of Windows 11 could further secure the franchise's future, which can also benefit other parts of Microsoft's business, such as Azure and Office.
As it has for past updates, Microsoft will use on-device data and other factors to determine which devices will get the offer to upgrade first, Windows marketing general manager Aaron Woodman wrote in a blog post.
On PCs running Windows 10 that have the necessary components to run Windows 11, the Windows Update feature will notify people when the upgrade is available. People can also go to "Settings > System > Windows Update" in their computers to manually check if the upgrade is ready.
Woodman pointed to a variety of Windows 10 PCs that people can buy now and upgrade to Windows 11 later, including Dell's XPS 13, the HP Spectre x360 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro, as well as Microsoft's own Surface Pro 7.
Windows 11 brings a modern look, with rounded corners and app icons displayed in the center of the taskbar. New sounds are designed to be less jarring. Microsoft redesigned the Start menu, the app store and the Settings app, and it's easier to arrange multiple app windows on screen. And Android apps will be available, by way of Amazon's Appstore. The refresh comes as Microsoft faces rising competition from Chromebooks running Google's Chrome OS, and Chromebooks are capable of running Android apps.
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