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Microsoft Announces Windows 8.1 With Bing

By - Source: Microsoft | B 9 comments

Microsoft has a discounted version of Windows 8.1.

Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc revealed a new low-cost version of Windows 8.1 that will be preloaded on devices and systems from the company's hardware partners. The build is called "Windows 8.1 with Bing," and ultimately should mean more options for the consumer, and lower device prices.

"Windows 8.1 with Bing provides all the same great experiences that Windows 8.1 offers with the Windows 8.1 Update, and comes with Bing as the default search engine within Internet Explorer," LeBlanc writes. "And of course, customers will be able to change that setting through the Internet Explorer menu, providing them with control over search engine settings."

LeBlanc added that tablets loaded with Windows 8.1 with Bing will come with Office 2013, or a one-year subscription to Office 365. Consumers wanting the latest changes in Office should look into an Office 365 subscription, which provides five seats for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year without the need to purchase software.

With the Bing version of Windows 8.1, Microsoft is essentially following Google's lead. Although Google makes money off the ad space it sells, it's also making a nice chunk of change from the virtual merchandise it sells such as movies, TV shows, games and whatnot. Microsoft is taking the same route to some degree, providing a low-cost platform as a service that will lead to music sales, app sales and other digital content consumption to make up the financial difference.

In Friday's blog, LeBlanc points out that in 2013, Microsoft eased up on the hardware specs required for Windows 8.1, allowing hardware partners to ship devices with only 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. Microsoft also made the Windows platform free for phone makers and those shipping tablets smaller than 9 inches.

“The end result is that more people—across consumer and commercial—will have access to an even broader selection of new devices with all the awesomeness that Windows 8.1 provides, and get Office too, all at a really affordable price. Additionally, as reach expands, the opportunity for developers and their apps also increases," LeBlanc writes.

LeBlanc said that devices with Windows 8.1 with Bing will be rolling out from hardware partners in the coming weeks. Question is, will the products sell better than those without the new Bing-laced OS?

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  • 8 Hide
    danhitchcock , May 27, 2014 10:08 AM
    lol I almost thought this was an Onion article.
    "... and comes with Bing as the default search engine within Internet Explorer," yay my two favorite things!
  • -1 Hide
    sean1357 , May 27, 2014 10:57 AM
    I'm happy with Windows 7, Google Chrome and Google search as my default for along time (10 years)....
  • -2 Hide
    southernshark , May 27, 2014 11:47 AM
    That office subscription is such a joke. I went to OpenOffice and never looked back.
  • Display all 9 comments.
  • -1 Hide
    mapesdhs , May 27, 2014 11:55 AM

    It will be interesting to see if this leads to another legal battle in Europe
    as it has done in the past when MS has tried to build-in its preferred
    default application functions...

    Ian.

  • -1 Hide
    RCguitarist , May 27, 2014 1:10 PM
    So an article about a lower cost windows, but no mention of what that cost will be?
  • 1 Hide
    anonymous_user , May 27, 2014 1:39 PM
    Quote:
    So an article about a lower cost windows, but no mention of what that cost will be?

    Doesn't really matter since this isn't geared for consumers to purchase AFAIK.
  • -2 Hide
    dextermat , May 27, 2014 2:08 PM
    MS should really clean up their marketing work force. Putting "bling" on sh*t won't change anything...
  • 1 Hide
    JD88 , May 27, 2014 3:43 PM
    Isn't Bing already the default search engine for IE? It was the last time I installed Windows 8 on a PC. Also, how exactly does Windows operate on a 16 GB hard drive? Last time I checked even Windows RT used more space than that just for the OS itself.
  • 1 Hide
    DookieDraws , May 27, 2014 4:11 PM
    Here's an idea! Just offer the Windows OS at an extremely affordable price of no more than $30 US dollars. Windows is way too expensive and is one reason it is so heavily pirated.

    For the record, I've never used Microsoft's Bing-A-Ling desktop. :)