Windows 7 will not only be better than Windows Vista from a technical and usage perspective, but it will also be better from a packaging perspective. Microsoft announced today the upcoming Windows 7 SKU strategy – basically stating that the majority of users will be best served by two editions of Windows 7 – Windows 7 Home Premium for consumers and Windows 7 Professional for businesses. There will of course be other editions to Windows 7 but the above two editions will “meet most customers needs.”
In total, there will be six editions of Windows 7 – Windows 7 Starter Edition, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 8 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7 Ultimate. According to Windows General Manager, Mike Ybarra, “With Windows 7 there is a more natural progression from one edition to the next.”
Here’s the high level summary for each of the new editions:
Windows 7 Starter Edition – will now be offered worldwide and only as a OEM pre-install for new hardware. You can not purchase this edition separately. According to Microsoft, “For OEMs that build lower-cost small notebook PCs, Windows 7 Starter will now be available in developed markets”. a.k.a. You can expect to find Windows 7 Starter on netbooks – ALTHOUGH Microsoft does mention that consumers will want to go with Windows 7 Home Premium if they want to get the most out of their PC.
Windows 7 Home Basic Edition – this will only be available in emerging markets for “customers looking for an entry-point Windows experience on a full-size value PC.”
Windows 7 Home Premium Edition – this is the recommended choice for consumers. It provides the “full-function PC experience and visually rich environment.”
Windows 7 Professional – recommended choice for small businesses and for people who work at home. If you’re on Windows Vista Business then Windows 7 Professional is probably the choice for you.
Windows 7 Enterprise – for the biggest enterprise customers. This will not be available at retail or by OEMs. Enterprise will only be available to annuity customers with Software Assurance agreements. Windows 7 Enterprise Edition will offer advanced data protection, lower cost compliance, and IT tools for PC management.
Windows 7 Ultimate – this won’t be sold directly to consumers either. Windows 7 Ultimate will be offered only as an upgrade to either Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Professional. Windows 7 Ultimate takes features of Windows 7 Home Premium and adds in Enterprise features such as BitLocker, BitLocker To Go, AppLocker, BranchCache, DirectAccess, etc. There will no longer be “Ultimate Extras”.
So, there you have it. The six versions of Windows 7 – two of which you will really only care about.. and ultimately only one – Windows 7 Home Premium. Of course, no additional info on pricing nor availability.
[Check it out via PC Magazine]
