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Microsoft giving new Windows away for free

In the battle of the tech giants, Microsoft has announced it will give customers a free upgrade to its new Windows 10 operating system.

The upgrade will apply to both Microsoft phones and computers running Windows 8 and Windows 7.

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Internet Explorer also looks set to be relegated to the confines of history following the announcement, with the new Windows 10 system operating a version of Google Chrome, according to a report by The Independent.

Only 15 per cent of all new mobile devices sold run on Windows, according to the Wall Street Journal, lagging behind Apple and Google.

Analytics company Flurry estimates that iPhones account for 50 per cent of all new mobile phone sales.

Windows 10 is expected to be available in spring in Australia, with the free update available for one year.

The financial impact on Microsoft is unlikely to be large, with no more than $500 million of its $20 billion revenue from Windows coming from upgrades.

In 2013, almost 90 per cent of personal computers were run on Windows operating systems, according to the International Data Corporation.

The company also revealed holographic glasses which customers can use to control the new operating system.

Using the ‘Microsoft HoloLens’, people will be able to interact with holographic images to do things like build 3D models and play video games, all the while being able to see their physical environment.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the headset would herald a big shift in technology.

“Our industry’s progress is punctuated by moments of category creation,” he said.

“Windows and holographic computing is one such moment.”

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