Will Lower-Priced Microsoft Vista Attract Business Users?
A full version of Vista Ultimate will sell for $319, down from $399, according to the company. The cost of an upgrade to Vista Ultimate from Windows XP or Vista has been cut to $219, down from $259. The upgrade price to Vista Home Premium has been reduced to $129 from $159.
Microsoft unveiled Vista in January 2007, but adoption has been slower than expected, and some VARs have noted that customers are unhappy with the product and have ripped out the new OS in favor of the older XP. Other solution providers, such as New Orleans-based Universal Data, still sells XP exclusively, said Jim Perrier, president.
"Pricing is not going to be the issue. Compatibility and other things will still be the issues," Perrier said. "We're not going to do anything that put our clients in jeopardy. They can't do what they need done [with Vista]. People have a business to run."
The price cuts, will apply in more than 70 countries, and come just as Microsoft is ready to roll out the first Service Pack of updates for Vista (SP1).