Wonder if a Windows 8.1 MCE key will work on this. Thinking upgrading within windows then nicking the tokens and stuff as with Windows 8 and make a Windows 9 ISO. Just like we did with Windows 8 - 8.1 We installed Windows 8 activated grabbed the tokens after WMC was installed, Then we made the Windows 8.1 with MCE ISO and inserted our tokens/key/certs into it from the activated Windows 8 MCE install.
It won't work like that...the MCE keys were upgrade keys only & they were for Windows 8/8.1....If they allowed Win 8 keys to activate Windows 9 then where's the profit for them? it worked on 8.1 coz it was just an update to 8 but, this is the next version of Windows & they would never allow that.
I am to understand the activation system will be changing too. I am curious how far and what they change, if in fact they do change the activation system.
Was it not confirmed Windows 9 was a "free upgrade" guessing there will also be a Windows 9 with WMC also. So just installing Windows 9 as an update on a Windows 8.1 with WMC should produce an activated Windows 9 with WMC. Or even using a premade Windows 9 with WMC ISO and using the WMC key from Windows 8 / 8.1 then phone activation would work for fresh install. They will still make cash, people will buy Windows 9 instead of Windows 8/8.1 (the ones currently on Windows 7 and hanging in + new pc users and pc's being built) Also they would make a bunch from the store / bing.
Any next version of Windows is mentioned as Windows Vnext isn't it? What I meant to say was that any next version of Windows usually gets leaked some days/weeks after RTM.... I think the "free upgrade" means that you must have a retail key for Windows 7/8 in order to get Windows 9 for free (if this offer exists at all)....the WMC keys were upgrade only keys. You have to activate Windows 8 with a retail key/KMS before you can activate the WMC key remember?
As long no-one knows what SKUs next Windows will bring it's not worth to speculate. And i highly assume it will come with new keys and changed activation process. On Win 8 and 8.x ProfessionalWMC SKU used same Activation-ID that's why the same keys could be used .
Ah fair, and true. I think if it has changed the upgrade would be cheap (very cheap) making it free would be good for the surface uptake and for the windows store and strengthen the sales of windows tablets/surface. Charging to much for Windows 9 i don't think will go down so well they really want people upgrading from Windows 7 so they can sell them rubbish from the store and make a profit. Charging i feel at least for surface users would just make people think more about buying a surface over a different tablet. At least with Android and iOS upgrades would be free, that's a good selling point. It not only attracts customers but developers. Charging for Windows updates on tablets at least i think would backfire and same for the windows store. It's not even like Windows 9 brings many features to warrant it as a paid upgrade. The start menu what windows 8 and 8.1 should have had and the virtual desktops is about it.