Microsoft released a fact sheet on July 18, Saturday stating that "mainstream" Windows 10 support will last until 2020, and "extended" assistance will end in 2025. The mainstream support likely refers to the timeframe during which the operating system king will provide critical OS updates, while the extended variety probably points to reliability and security revisions.
Win10's support lifecycle sustains the ones for Windows 7 and 8.1, according to Venture Beat. No subscription fees will be charged. Instead, owners who move up from versions 7 and 8.1 will get free upgrades until 2025.
The end of the extended support is key. For instance, when Windows XP extended support wound down last spring, security risks for the OS went off the charts.
Microsoft Corp. will officially put an end to Windows 10 mainstream support on Oct. 13, 2020. On the other hand, users can receive extended support until Oct. 14, 2025, according to Digital Trends.
The two dates are fascinating. They are out of sync with the July 20 Windows 10 Release to Manufacturing (RTM) date, perhaps coinciding with Microsoft's announcement to roll out the OS in "waves."
This approach will prioritize Microsoft Insiders, business partners, and customers who reserve a copy of Windows 10. Regular customers will be last in line.
The Win10 support dates are not carved in stone. Microsoft points out that the two big dates are the earliest the company would halt support for the new OS, and could be extended later.
Finally, the fact sheet contains some fine print. Software updates might be unavailable if the customer's device hardware is incompatible with Microsoft support.
While securing a brand new copy of Windows 10 would certainly result in better and easier computing, it could simultaneously create tons of inconveniences until the year 2025. It is some food for thought.