As expected, Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) plans to release Windows 10 this summer. The launch includes several large partners, which should help accelerate the use of the new operating system. However, among the most important commitments Microsoft has shown in Windows 10 is the ubiquity of nations where it will be available and the languages through which people can use it:
At the Windows Hardware Engineering Community (WinHEC) summit on Wednesday, Terry Myerson, executive vice president of Windows, Microsoft Corp., announced that Windows 10 will launch in 190 countries and 111 languages around the world this summer.
To no one’s surprise, the China initiative for the operating system was at the center of the announcement. China represents the largest opportunity for number of adopters, and it is critical to virtually every tech company. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) management recently stated that the People’s Republic is at the heart of future sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Myerson also announced a diverse collection of strategic partnerships and initiatives with leading global companies across the greater China region, including Lenovo, Tencent and Qihu 360. These partnerships will enable hundreds of millions of Windows customers in China to upgrade to Windows 10, driving adoption around the world through ecosystem advancements.
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“China is a global epicenter for innovation and the home of hundreds of millions of Windows PCs today,” Myerson said. “The Chinese technical community and Chinese customers are vitally important to the future of Windows 10. We’re honored and excited to host WinHEC in Shenzhen and to continue to work with the area’s hardware and software companies to develop groundbreaking devices and consumer experiences that will help shape the future of Windows 10 globally. Via our partnerships, we will make it easy — and free — for hundreds of millions of customers in China to upgrade to Windows 10.”
As has been true in the past, many hardware companies will offer machines on which Windows 10 is free to customers.
China may be center stage, but Windows 10 will be available in the native languages of Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Hungary and Haiti. Microsoft does not plan to leave any stone unturned.
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