Orlando: Microsoft's Windows 10 operating software is "going to transform how we use devices", the technology giant's India-born CEO Satya Nadella said, as he announced plans for its celebratory global debut this month.
Windows 10 will be launched across the world on July 29 amid global fan celebrations, joint efforts with thousands of retailers, including all Microsoft store locations, a new global advertising campaign and a new year-long initiative to celebrate people and organisations "making a difference around the world," Microsoft said.
India, a critical market for Microsoft, will be among the 13 countries where the technology giant will host mega events. Celebratory events marking the launch, Nadella's first major product launch since he took over as CEO in February 2014, will be held in New Delhi as well Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Dubai, Nairobi, Berlin, Johannesburg, Madrid, London, Sao Paolo and New York.
The latest version of the operating system will be available for the first time as a free upgrade and features new innovations like Microsoft’s digital personal assistant Cortana and Xbox integration. The limited-time free upgrade offer is for Windows 7 and 8/8.1 devices. Nadella, 47, had listed personal computing as one of Microsoft’s "bold ambitions" for the future in his vision keynote address at the conference that began on July 13.
Windows 10 is going to usher in "this new era of more personal computing. We couldn’t be more excited, three weeks away from launch. It is not just the technology but what Windows means for this ecosystem is what is driving us," he said, adding the feature he is most excited about in Windows 10 "is this continuum, it's going to transform how we use devices."
He added that Windows 10 is going to run on everything from phones to tablets to surface hubs as well as to the HoloLens, Microsoft’s first fully untethered, see-through holographic computer.
