Windows 10 now available in New Zealand as a free upgrade

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Windows 10 now available in New Zealand as a free upgrade

The “best and most secure Windows ever” set to empower Kiwis to do and achieve more

AUCKLAND, 4.00PM, July 29, 2015 — Microsoft New Zealand announced today that the Windows 10 operating system is now available in this country as a free upgrade[1] to eligible devices, or with new PCs and tablets.

Described as the best and most secure Windows ever, Windows 10 is unlike any previous version as it is delivered as a service, and will be kept automatically up-to-date with innovations and security updates via online download.

“A new era of Windows starts today. From the beginning, Windows 10 has been unique — built with feedback from over 5 million fans, delivered as a service and offered as a free upgrade,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, at Microsoft Corp.

“Windows 10 delivers on our more personal computing vision, with a natural, mobile and trusted experience. Along with our partners, we’re excited to deliver the best Windows ever, which will empower people and organisations around the world to do great things,” says Myerson.

Frazer Scott, Marketing & Operations Director for Microsoft NZ, says upgrading to Windows 10 is easy for New Zealanders running a genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC or tablet.

“As of today, Kiwis who have reserved their free upgrade to Windows 10 will be notified when their upgrade is ready to be installed. This free upgrade offer will be available for a year from today for qualified and genuine Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 devices,” says Scott.

“In New Zealand, there are around two million PCs and devices running Windows. Most of these will be able to upgrade for free from today. Beyond this, we are anticipating hundreds of thousands of new devices to arrive on the market in the coming year which will be Windows 10 ready.”

Windows 10 offers one experience that will become available on the broadest range of devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, Raspberry Pi, Xbox One, HoloLens and more — with more than 2,000 devices or configurations already in testing.

Also available today are the new Windows Store and Windows Software Development Kit, which Scott says will open the door to new and innovative app experiences on Windows 10.

Windows 10: The best Windows ever

Windows 10 is fast and familiar - with the return of the Start menu and Live Tiles for instant, streaming updates of what matters most. Windows 10 is the most secure Windows Microsoft has ever released, with enhancements to Windows Defender and SmartScreen to help safeguard against viruses, malware and phishing and new innovations like Windows Hello[2], which offers a fast, secured, password-free way to log in (for enabled devices.) Keeping up-to-date is also simple, as free updates will help people stay current with the latest features and security updates for the lifetime of the device.

Windows 10 offers many innovative experiences and devices, including:

• The new Microsoft Edge browser, which lets people quickly browse, read, and mark up and share the Web.

• The integrated Xbox app delivers the Xbox experience to Windows 10, bringing together friends, games and accomplishments across Xbox One and Windows 10 devices.

• Continuum optimises apps and experiences beautifully across touch and desktop modes

• Built-in apps including Photos; Maps; Microsoft’s new music app, Groove; and Movies & TV offer entertainment and productivity options. With OneDrive, files can be easily shared and kept up-to-date across all devices.

• A Microsoft Phone Companion app enables iPhones, Android or Windows phones to work seamlessly with Windows 10 devices.

• Windows 10 is more personal and productive, with voice, pen and gesture inputs for natural interaction with PC’s. It’s designed to work with Office and Skype perfectly and allows you to switch between apps and stay organised.

Cortana[3], the Windows 10 personal digital assistant, will not be available as yet in the New Zealand market. However, Scott says that Microsoft is looking forward to offering Cortana to Kiwis in the future.

The all new Office Mobile apps for Windows 10 tablets are available today in the Windows Store[4]. Built for work on-the-go, the Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps offer a consistent, touch-first experience for small tablets. For all digital note taking needs, the full featured OneNote app comes pre-installed with Windows 10. The upcoming release of the Office desktop apps (Office 2016) will offer our richest feature set for professional content creation. Designed for the precision of a keyboard and mouse, these apps will be optimised for large screen PCs, laptops, and 2-in-1 devices like the Surface Pro.

Windows 10: The best platform for businesses

Feedback from millions of IT pros has shaped Windows 10, the most extensively tested version of Windows ever. Ready for corporate deployments, Windows 10 will help companies protect against modern cyberattacks, deliver experiences their employees will love and enable continuous innovation with a platform that keeps companies up-to-date with the latest technology. Businesses will be able to control the frequency of their updates and select the features and functionality that are right for each group of their employees. Windows 10 includes built-in enterprise grade security, so customers can replace passwords with more secure options, protect corporate data and corporate identities, and run only the software they trust. New management and deployment tools simplify device management, help lower costs, and enable companies to power their business with the enterprise strength of the Microsoft Azure cloud.

Top apps available on Windows 10

The new Windows Store opened Wednesday and began accepting new apps for Windows 10. The Windows Store offers one-stop shopping for popular free and paid apps, games, movies, TV shows and the latest music, which can work across all Windows 10 devices. All Windows Store content is certified by Microsoft to help keep devices safer. In addition to existing Windows 8.1 apps such as Netflix, the Windows Store provides a constant stream of the new and updated Universal Windows Apps. [5]

Aaron McDonald, CEO of local New Zealand app development company PuttiApps, says his company has already begun working with Windows 10 through the Insider Program as he believes there will be great benefits for businesses that upgrade to Windows 10.

“Windows 10 is modern robust operating system that can work equally well for businesses and consumers. The unique cross-device experience for users and developers across PC, tablets and phones will bring in new opportunities to improve experiences,” says McDonald.

“We really believe that the biggest benefit is what it will allow us to do for our customers. It means we can now join mobile, tablet and desktop users seamlessly in a business process through the same platform.”

Windows 10 devices now available

Upgrading to Windows 10 is available for customers running a genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC or tablet. Starting Wednesday, people who reserved their upgrade to Windows 10 will be notified in waves when their upgrade is ready to be installed. For business customers, Windows 10 is available to start deploying within their work environments, and starting Aug. 1, organisations that have volume licensing can upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education.

Retail partners are ready to help people upgrade to Windows 10, with our largest tech bench program ever. In New Zealand, upgrade programs are available through key retailers from July 29, and with Windows 10 software becoming broadly available in retail stores between mid-August and September around the world.

Additional information on upgrading, new and compatible devices, and apps for Windows can be found at http://www.windows.com.

ENDNOTES

1 Limited time free upgrade offer for qualified and genuine Windows 7 and 8/8.1 devices. Hardware and software requirements apply; see http://www.windows.com/windows10upgrade for details.

2 Windows Hello requires specialised hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors

3 Cortana available in select markets at launch; experience may vary by region and device.

4 An Office 365 subscription is required to edit Office apps on Windows 10 PCs or larger tablets.

5 Some apps and content sold separately. App and content availability and experience may vary by region and device.

For more news and information about Microsoft’s work in New Zealand, visit:https://news.microsoft.com/en-nz/

ENDS

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