Microsoft May Offer a Windows 7 Family Upgrade

In a move that could help counter some of the criticism of its pricing plan, Microsoft appears to be preparing a Windows 7 Family Pack/Home Premium upgrade. According to reports surfacing on the Web, the software giant has assigned a product number and UPC code to the Family Pack, along with pricing of about $135-$140.

No Formal Announcement Yet

Microsoft hasn’t announced such a Family Pack upgrade, but the term is referenced in the license agreement for the most recent beta release of Windows 7. The agreement says a Family Pack user can install the upgrade on as many as three computers in a household.

During the current two-week Pre-order promotion in the U.S., an upgrade from Windows Vista or XP to Windows 7 Premium is $49.99. The promotion ends July 11, and includes an upgrade to Windows 7 Professional for $99.99.

The company said the normal purchase price for the Home Premium upgrade will be $119.99, compared to $129.99 charged for Vista. If a Family Pack/Home Premium upgrade begins after the pre-order promotion, it could provide a major discount. The normal price for the Professional upgrade is $199.99, and the Windows 7 Ultimate upgrade costs $219.99.

The scheduled release date for Windows 7 is Oct. 22. Retail prices for the full versions are $199.99 for Home Premium, $299.99 for Professional, and $319.99 for Ultimate.

A variety of industry observers have complained that the upgrade prices are too high, at a time when Microsoft should want to move as many users as possible from Vista or XP into the new OS.

Upgrading with New Machines

Some have said the regular upgrade price is much too steep for the current economic environment, most notably for consumers, although it is lower than Vista’s. Others have noted that Microsoft should be doing everything it can to replace Vista, which…