Microsoft has now released the official announcement for the Windows 7 Family Pack, a suite that will allow homes to upgrade up to three copies of Windows 7 Home Premium instead of being forced to buy individual licenses for each installation. The Family Pack will cost 150 USD in the United States, and 200 USD in Canada (compared to 360 USD for individual licenses in the US, a savings of 210 USD). So far, no other pricing details for other countries have been released. The Family Pack will be available on the 22nd of October, the same date as the general availability of Windows 7.
Windows 7 Family Pack
Microsoft also announced the pricing for Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU), which allows customers on Starter, Home Premium, or Professional to upgrade to a higher version of Windows 7 without paying the full price. The online upgrade will be offered in thirteen countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK or the US. Retail versions will also be offered in stores for Starter to Home Premium, Home Premium to Professional, and Home Premium to Ultimate.
| Upgrade Path | US | EU | UK |
| Starter to Home Premium | $79.99 | €74.99 | £69.99 |
| Starter to Professional | $114.99 | €184.99 | £119.99 |
| Starter to Ultimate | $164.99 | €204.99 | £139.99 |
| Home Premium to Professional | $89.99 | €179.99 | £119.99 |
| Home Premium to Ultimate | $139.99 | €189.99 | £124.99 |
| Professional to Ultimate | $129.99 | €134.99 | £84.99 |
It seems as though European users are once again receiving the bad end of the stick as Microsoft is again charging outrageous prices in the EU compared to the US and similar markets. Hopefully we will see an announcement revision from Microsoft on this point.
What do you think?
