Microsoft has finally ceased free support for the popular Windows 7 operating system ahead of the Windows 10 launch this year.
The end of mainstream support means computers running Windows 7 will no longer receive security updates from Microsoft that help protect PCs from spyware, viruses and other malicious software. No new features, enhancements or any design changes will be added either.
The software will however remain in ‘extended support’, which is limited to security updates and paid services, for the next five years through Jan. 14, 2020.
The enterprise and standard versions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 will also receive only security updates from now.
As per Microsoft’s policy, the company offers mainstream support “for a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product’s general availability, or for 2 years after the successor product is released, whichever is longer.”
Released in 2009, Windows 7 sold over 100 million copies in just six months’ time and remains hugely popular even now. The successor, Windows 8, was released in October 2012.
According to the Internet market share-tracking firm Net Applications, Windows 7 is the most widely used computer operating system, with 56.26 percent of the overall market share, the most up-to-date version of Windows dubbed Windows 8.1 is used by 9.49 percent of the market, while the not-so-popular Windows 8 accounts for 4.03 percent market share.
Apparently, the Redmond is trying every bit possible to persuade users who did not upgrade to the Windows 8 OS to upgrade to the upcoming Windows 10 instead.
Microsoft is expected to announce more details about the next-generation Windows 10 at an event on January 21.
