There is no such thing as a free lunch. As Microsoft transitions Windows into a service, it is beginning to charge users for more advanced or non-core features of the OS.
The first of two missing Windows 10 features that are now available in the Windows Store as a paid app is the DVD Player. Since many notebook users have transitioned away from optical media in favor of thinner form factors with the rise of Ultrabooks, dropping the DVD Player app may not affect that many users.
Taking a gamble
Solitaire has appeared as a free feature since the early 90s with Windows 3.0, but now Microsoft is taking a freemium approach to the card game. It's still available for free and bundled with Windows 10, but you'll be subjected to ads.
If you want more, you can subscribe to the classic card game for $1.49 per month, or $9.99 (£6, AU$13) annually. This gets rid of the pesky ads and gives you more card designs, access to daily challenges and perks like more coins.
Back to productivity
Even though the entertainment features may be missing from Windows 10, Microsoft still includes core productivity apps. Smaller tablets will get access to the new touch-friendly Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps for free, while owners of notebooks, desktops and larger tablets will need an Office 365 subscription to use these new apps. Sway is also available for free as a modern alternative to PowerPoint.
Included for free with Windows 10 are brand new Outlook Mail, Outlook Calendar, People, Maps and Photo Apps. For entertainment, the new Movies & TV app allows you to play back video files, or purchase or rent movies and TV shows from the Windows Store. The Groove Music app is similar, but applies only to music.
Windows as a service
Rather than delivering Windows as packaged software, Microsoft is turning Windows 10 into a service.
"We want to have a direct relationship with the customer," Aaron Woodman, Marketing Director at Microsoft, told TechRadar at the time of the Windows 10 release. This includes regularly updating apps and the Windows experience to bring the latest and best experiences to users, as well as keeping PCs safe with malware protection.
Upgrades to new versions of Windows is not a significant source of revenue for Microsoft, Woodman said, noting that the company would rather increase user loyalty than charge for the upgrade during the first year. Microsoft relies on its OEM licensing for Windows revenue. The strategy is aimed at reducing the barriers to technology.
If that's true, it's unclear why Microsoft would need to charge for the DVD Player or Solitaire.
- Read our first week experience with Windows 10