We already know that Microsoft will make available Windows 8 upgrades for $39.99 regardless of the version of Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 that is the upgrade being bought for. And while this appears to be a promotional offer that is valid until January 2013, it is likely that upgrade prices won’t increase much afterwards.
Customers who bought an eligible PC with Windows 7 get an upgrade opportunity for $14.99 or even for free, depending on the PC that they have purchased.
But how much Microsoft would be actually charging for retail copies of the operating system. While many assumed that the price would be below $100, no one knew how much below it would turn out to be.
A leaked screenshot now suggests that Microsoft will charge €59.99 for a digital Windows 8 Pro version. Converting these prices to US dollars you get roughly $75 for the license, which could suggest a $69.99 standard price in standard pricing conventions, plus around US$20 for shipping out a Windows 8 DVD to you.
This price could just be a promotional deal like with the upgrade, or it could be outright false as Microsoft haven’t as yet made an official announcement, so we’ll just have to wait and see.