Microsoft announced today that retailers will soon begin a promotion for discounted Anytime Upgrade licenses for Windows 7.
Anytime Upgrade is a feature introduce with Windows Vista that enables users of a “lesser” edition of Windows 7 to upgrade to a more fully-featured version by paying the difference between their current version and the next.
Beginning next week, Microsoft says, the Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade will run $49.99, while the Windows 7 Home Premium to Professional upgrade will run $79.99, a cut of $30 and $10, respectively.
While most users of Windows 7 are not likely to have a need for an Anytime Upgrade kit, it could save a little money for OEM PC buyers if, for example, the price of a Windows 7 Home Premium PC with an upgrade to Professional costs less than the same machine pre-loaded with Professional.
As Microsoft spokesman Matt LeBlanc noted in a January 25 blog update, Windows 7 Home Premium users that find themselves in need of domain joining are also a good candidate for an Anytime Upgrade.
Though Microsoft has said that the promotional period will run between April 4 and July 3, online vendors like Amazon are already selling at a discount.
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