Windows 7 to cost more than Vista

Millions of computer users are preparing to swap over to Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system when it is released later this year, but now they may have to pay even more to gain access to the software.

A marketing executive at computer manufacturer Dell has said that businesses and individuals will have to pay slightly more for computers shipped with the new software.

“If there’s one thing that may influence adoption, make things slower or cause customers to pause, it’s that generally the ASPs (average selling price) of the operating systems are higher than they were for Vista and XP,” Darrel Ward, director of product management for Dell’s business client product group, told Cnet.

“In tough economic times, I think it’s naive to believe that you can increase your prices on average and then still see a stronger swell than if you held prices flat or even lowered them. Schools and government agencies may not be able to afford (the additional cost). Some of the smaller businesses may not be able to enjoy the software as soon as they’d like,” Ward said.

But Ward signalled they may have to upgrade soon enough, saying that “Windows XP cannot live forever”.

A release-candidate of Windows 7 was made available earlier this month, indicating the system is close to the form it will take when released. The company has said the software will appear later this year, with internet rumours citing October.