Kurt Shintaku's Blog

We’re trying to make the  Windows Vista licensing, upgrade and purchase experience simpler for everyone with a few new announcements:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/jan07/01-17ConsumerOptionsPR.mspx

"Windows Anytime Upgrade"

• A new way for customers to more easily advance to a higher-grade edition of Windows Vista. 
• Allows a customer to purchase and download a digital key for the premium editions of Windows Vista they want to use, and then insert a Windows Vista DVD that came with their PC or with their retail purchase of Windows Vista to complete the upgrade process. 
• Available in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan
• WEBSITE:  http://www.windowsanytimeupgrade.com/

"Windows Marketplace"

• Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office will be available for direct download via Windows Marketplace.
• Windows Marketplace makes it fast, easy and safe to download large programs like Windows Vista through its digital locker technology.
• Available in the US and Canada
• WEBSITE:  http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/

"Windows Vista Family Discount"

• The opportunity to upgrade additional home PCs to Windows Vista Home Premium at a great value that saves money and time
• Family Discount addresses the Windows Vista super enthusiasts, which is a key segment of the Windows Vista market.
• A customer that purchases a retail boxed software package of Windows Vista Ultimate may purchase up to two additional licenses to install the Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade product for $49.99 USD ($59.99 CAD) per upgrade license, a discount of over 60% off the estimated retail price of $159 USD for the boxed retail upgrade software package. From January 30, 2007 through June 30, 2007, the offer will be available online to customers in the U.S. and Canada.
• WEBSITE:  http://www.windowsvista.com/FamilyOffer

————–

Q&A
Windows Anytime Upgrade

Q: What is Windows Anytime Upgrade in Windows Vista?
A: Microsoft is always looking for new ways to provide convenience to customers and is committed to constantly improving upon the user experience. With the Windows Anytime Upgrade feature in Windows Vista, customers with Windows Vista pre-installed on new PCs are enabled to more easily upgrade a higher edition of Windows Vista by purchasing a digital license online.

Q: What is the idea behind Windows Anytime Upgrade?
A: The idea is to provide customers with the convenience of upgrading their PCs at anytime to a higher edition of Windows Vista.

Q: How does the upgrade work?
A: To use Windows Anytime Upgrade, the customer simply clicks on the Windows Anytime Upgrade option in the Start Menu to select their desired upgrade edition, downloads a new digital key and then uses the new key to enable the premium edition functionality. Customers may be prompted to insert the Windows Anytime Upgrade disc to complete the upgrade process if the bits were not pre-installed of their hard-drive by the OEM.

Q: What will it cost to upgrade using Windows Anytime Upgrade?
A: The MSRP cost to upgrade to more premium editions of Windows Vista are as follows: Home Basic to Home Premium – $79; Home Basic to Ultimate – $199; Home Premium to Ultimate – $159; and Business to Ultimate – $139.

Q: What are the system requirements for each SKU?
A: Consumers can run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor on individual machines to learn which version of Windows Vista can successfully be installed on the computer. Upgrade Advisor will also report if the hardware is not sufficient to run any version of Windows Vista.

Q: What happens to my settings, programs, and files when I upgrade?
A: With the exception of Windows Vista N Editions, all other editions will preserve your settings, programs and files during the upgrade process; however, best practices recommend all customers backup their computer before upgrading.

Q: Will all the versions of Windows Vista be included on every Windows Vista disc, no matter the SKU?
A: Yes, all the versions of Windows Vista will be on one DVD. The edition of Windows Vista that the customer chooses will then be activated by her product key. For instance, if a customer buys Windows Vista Home Premium from a retail store, the full version of Windows Vista will be included on the DVD, but because the customer chose and paid for Home Premium, the product key he or she receives will activate the Home Premium edition and its features and functionality.
With Windows Anytime Upgrade, the idea is to provide customers with the most convenient user experience possible by enabling them to more easily and directly upgrade to a higher edition of Windows Vista from within their current edition.

Q: What editions of Windows Vista will have Windows Anytime Upgrade? Will both consumer and business editions provide this experience?
A: Yes, customers with consumer as well as business editions of Vista will be able to use Windows Anytime Upgrade with the exception of Windows Vista Ultimate, which is the highest SKU edition.

Q: Are system builders able to participate in this program?
A: There are plans to offer system builders the ability to participate in the program as referral partners sometime in 2007.

Q: When will Windows Anytime Upgrade be implemented by channel partners?
A: Windows Anytime Upgrade is intended to launch at the Windows Vista launch on January 30, 2007 in North America (including US and Canada), Western Europe (including the EU, Norway and Switzerland), and Japan. Additional countries will be added roughly six months after the launch of Windows Vista.

Q: Are partners on board to sell Windows Vista licenses as part of the Windows Anytime Upgrade, and if so, which partners?
A: Yes, all major retailers and covered OEMs in North America, the European Union and Japan are signed up to offer licenses to Windows Vista upgrades.

Windows Marketplace

Q: What is the Windows Marketplace?
A: Windows Marketplace is the largest online destination for buying software that runs on Windows PCs or mobile devices. Consumers go to Windows Marketplace to discover, evaluate and buy the software that suits their lifestyles and helps their businesses.

Q: How do customers find Windows Marketplace?
A: Customers can access Windows Marketplace from the Windows Vista Start Menu, Windows XP Start Menu, Internet Explorer and many other Microsoft and partner web sites.

Q: What is digital locker?
A: The digital locker is what makes Windows Marketplace the safest place to purchase downloadable software. When a software purchase is made, the digital locker stores the software and license keys, manages the download, and streamlines the installation process. It automatically resumes downloads that are interrupted, and it also assists users in making backup copies of their purchases. Digital Locker marries the best of both worlds: the immediacy of software download with the security of owning a CD.

Q: What are your plans for international?
A: We have not yet released our international plans.

Q: Are you going to offer all Microsoft products through the digital locker?
A: We plan to offer all Microsoft products via the digital locker but will do it in a phased approach starting with Windows Vista and Office 2007.

Q: Is this the future of software distribution?
A: Yes. According to IDC, the ESD market will experience a compound annual growth rate of 34 percent through 2009. A recent Gartner report forecasts that by the year 2008, 80 percent of all consumer software and 50 percent of all enterprise software will be delivered via ESD.

Family Discount

Q: What is the Windows Vista Family Discount?
A: For customers in North America that purchase a retail boxed software package of Windows Vista Ultimate, the Windows Vista Family Discount provides the opportunity to upgrade additional home PCs to Windows Vista Home Premium at a great value that saves money and time – so families can enjoy the security, performance, and entertainment capabilities of Windows Vista throughout the home.

Q: What is the objective of the Windows Vista Family Discount?
A: The objective of the Windows Vista Family Discount is to make it easier and more affordable to upgrade more than one PC in the home to Windows Vista. By offering a great value that saves time and money, families can enjoy the security, performance, and entertainment capabilities of Windows Vista throughout the home.

Q: How does the program work? How much does it cost the customer?
A: A customer that purchases a retail boxed software package of Windows Vista Ultimate may purchase up to two additional licenses to install the Windows Vista Home Premium Upgrade product for $49.99 USD ($59.99 CAD) per upgrade license, a discount of over 60% off the estimated retail price of $159 USD for the boxed retail upgrade software package. From January 30, 2007 through June 30, 2007, the offer will be available online to customers in the U.S. and Canada at http://www.windowsvista.com/FamilyOffer (or, for French-speaking customers, at http://www.windowsvista.com/OffreFamily).

Q: Is the Windows Vista Family Discount a permanent program?
A: The program is time-limited, running from General Availability of Windows Vista (January 30, 2007) through June 30, 2007. As the program progresses, Microsoft will evaluate the results and determine whether to continue or modify the program.

Q: Can a customer who purchased a Windows Vista Ultimate-based PC qualify for the Windows Vista Family Discount?
A: No. To qualify for the Windows Vista Family Discount, a customer must have purchased a Windows Vista Ultimate retail boxed package – both full licenses and upgrade licenses qualify. Other types of licenses, such as OEM preinstall, Volume Licensing, MSDN, Technet, and Evaluation, do not qualify.

Q: Why is the program limited to the retail boxed software package of Windows Vista Ultimate? Why are PCs preloaded with Windows Vista Ultimate excluded from this promotion?
A: Not all OEM PCs ship with media. Under the Windows Vista Family Discount, media is required to install Windows Vista on the additional PCs. At this point, since this requirement could be confusing to the customers that have been targeted, the Windows Vista Family Discount is limited to boxed retail software product. The Windows Vista Family Discount is a time-limited offer, running from General Availability of Windows Vista (January 30, 2007) through June 30, 2007. As the program progresses, Microsoft will evaluate the results and determine whether to continue or modify the program, including the qualifying products.

Q: Why is Electronic Software Download of Windows Vista Ultimate via Windows Marketplace not eligible?
A: Electronic Software Download is a new channel of distribution for Windows in which the customer can download Windows Vista and install from their hard drive; the customer then receives media at a later date. Under the Windows Vista Family Discount, media is required to install Windows Vista on the additional PCs. At this point, since this requirement could be confusing to the customers that have been targeted, the Windows Vista Family Discount is not enabled for purchases made via Electronic Software Download. The Windows Vista Family Discount is a time-limited offer, running from General Availability of Windows Vista (January 30, 2007) through June 30, 2007. As the program progresses, Microsoft will evaluate the results and determine whether to continue or modify the program, including the qualifying products.