A dangerous scenario is approaching for hundreds of millions of internet users. Windows 10 has an announced expiration date and, given this situation and the impossibility of upgrading to Windows 11, over 240 million computers will be left exposed to all kinds of dangers once Microsoft’s update policy completely ceases, a rather dangerous situation that will force the disposal of many properly functioning PCs.
There are also alternatives that involve abandoning Windows as an operating system, but that also leaves Microsoft in a bad position, where literally many users will be forced to use an unprotected system or switch to free software alternatives, such as Linux. There are many computers that cannot switch to Windows 11, and therefore they could be seriously exposed.
Payment barrier for Windows 10
The free cessation of Windows 10 updates will occur in less than 2 years. Specifically, in October 2025, when Microsoft will stop offering free security updates. After this cessation, the company will offer updates with a payment barrier until October 2028, being the only viable alternative for those who want to stay on Windows without buying a new computer.
This is a rather negative fact, as putting security updates behind a paywall is a move that, if it becomes more common in the industry, would multiply inequality across the network. In fact, in this case, those who pay will be able to have secure browsing with Windows 10 from 2025 to 2028, while those who do not pay will face greater risks in their daily use of the PC.
Microsoft’s stumbles with payments
In recent years, Microsoft has tried to show much more aggressive policies to benefit from its services, but the results have been far from what they expected. An example of this is Microsoft 365, the subscription that encompasses all its productivity services and that, under strict payment barriers, has allowed their competition to gain ground on them in recent years.
Microsoft, on the other hand, is trying to regain some of the lost ground by jumping into the world of generative AI and positioning Copilot as one of its major future projects. In reality, this AI has many synergies with Microsoft’s services, but it still has a lot of work ahead in terms of expected features and promised services.
