Microsoft to Extend Windows 10 Support

Previously, Microsoft announced that it would stop providing security updates for Windows 10 in 2025, leading to a petition by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG)  that the tech giant should extend support for the operating system. Following the petition, Microsoft recently announced it will extend security updates for Windows 10, but for a price. 

The tech giant has extended support for other operating systems in the past, and according to PIRG, 400 million of the 1 billion Windows 10 devices still in use will be affected by the change. That means about 40 percent of PCs in use won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11. 

Microsoft recently released a statement in a blog post saying, “While we strongly recommend moving to Windows 11, we understand there are circumstances that could prevent you from replacing Windows 10 devices” before the end of service date, and has agreed to offer extended security updates on a yearly subscription basis. 

The subscription will be offered for three years, with monthly “critical and important security updates” for those who purchase it. Still, it will not provide new features, customer-requested non-security updates, or design change requests. 

Microsoft also noted that customers who pay for Windows 365 and those running Windows through Azure Virtual Desktop can access the extended security updates at no additional cost. The tech leader plans to release more information on pricing and the extension closer to 2025. 

PIRG’s ‘Designed to Last’ campaign director, Lucas Rockett Gutterman, stated, “We’re stuck on a disposability treadmill, replacing tech before we should. Abandoning Windows 10 and leaving hundreds of millions of computers behind is a harmful example. Microsoft has stepped in the right direction by offering paid security updates for the millions of people who can’t upgrade their computers. However, automatically extending support would do more to prevent e-waste.”

With the rapid growth of technology, e-waste continues to be an issue, and retiring electronics before they are ready only contributes to the e-waste crisis. The inability to update IT assets will hinder many users from using devices as long as possible, leading to improper disposition when the devices can no longer be used. 

HOBI is an R2v3, RIOS, and ISO-14001 certified IT asset management and disposition enterprise focused on maximizing device value and mitigating potential environmental liability. During every disposition step, HOBI focuses on maximizing value for our clients via device reuse and determining the best disposition path for the environment. 

For more information about HOBI’s remarketing opportunities or our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.