Streaming Gates

Windows 7 is available in a total of 6 editions, with each higher edition superset preceding edition with more features from the sequence of Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. Another SKU, Windows 7 Enterprise, is mostly used by corporate and out of touch from normal retail users. Not all consumers will buy the expensive Windows 7 Ultimate from start. As a result, Microsoft offers a Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) program for users who are looking to upgrade from lower priced edition to more premium version of Windows 7 at discount price.

Windows Anytime Upgrade was introduced in Windows Vista for the same purpose. With WAU, Microsoft hope to offer a niche category of customers, who might want to upgrade pre-installed Windows 7 on newly purchased PC or purchased Windows 7 license, a more flexible and convenient way to upgrade to a more advanced and more feature rich version. The fact that Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU) will be offered in Windows 7 is not a secret. In fact, several retailers have published and leaked the price the retail product of Windows 7 WAU package. Now, Microsoft has officially announced the official prices for Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade, together with Windows 7 Family Pack.

Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade Pricing List for USA

• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium: $79.99
• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Professional: $114.99
• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Ultimate: $164.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional: $89.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate: $139.99
• Windows 7 Professional to Windows 7 Ultimate: $129.99

Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade (WAU) Price Details for UK

• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium:£69.99
• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Professional: £119.99
• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Ultimate: £139.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional: £119.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate: £124.99
• Windows 7 Professional to Windows 7 Ultimate: £84.99

Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade Prices for Europe

• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium: €74.99
• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Professional: €184.99
• Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Ultimate: €204.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional: €179.99
• Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate: €189.99
• Windows 7 Professional to Windows 7 Ultimate: €134.99

Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade will be available on Windows 7 is release to market on October 22nd, 2009 (general availability). Previously in Windows Vista Anytime Upgrade, WAU is only been served via Internet. For Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade, the distribution channel will be both online upgrade and sold in brick and mortar retail stores, as details below.

Method 1 Online Upgrade

• Consumers will use the WAU Tool to go online, shop, learn and purchase a product key for the upgrade.
• The product key will be delivered automatically to the customer’s machine via the Internet.
• Once the key is received, the WAU Tool will initiate the upgrade process (EULA acceptance, feature unlock, etc.)
• Purchase from Microsoft online directly within Windows 7 is available to residents in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK or the US (13 countries).

Method 2 Retail Purchase

• Consumers will purchase a Media-Less Key (MLK) at retail store or from online retailers.
• At the PC, end-user will use the same WAU Tool to manually enter the Product Key printed on the MLK.
• Once the key is entered, the WAU Tool will initiate the upgrade process (EULA acceptance, feature unlock, etc.)

Whether you buy a WAU retail package from a store or online directly within Windows 7, the upgrade takes as few as ten minutes. Apparently this is due to the fact that all Windows 7 versions or editions will be shipped on one installation DVD disc (such as a Windows 7 RTM ISO can install any edition of Windows 7 with ei.cfg hack), and thus any upgrade requires only an upgrade key (no media). The new product key will get the Windows 7 installer to run the edition just purchase. And of course, all current programs, files, and settings will remain intact after the upgrade.