Microsoft Announces Four Versions of Windows 8

Microsoft Announces Four Versions of Windows 8

According to PC World, Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 will only come in 4 flavors, and for regular consumers, there is really only one version to choose from. That's good news for advanced users who traditionally have to pay much more to get a version of Windows that comes with all the bells and whistles.

For home use, there is Windows 8, which fits on new X86/64 desktops, notebooks or tablets. For machines with ARM chips (tablets), there's a version called Windows RT (Runtime) that will come preinstalled. It'll run touch-oriented apps based on Windows Runtime (or WinRT), Microsoft's programming model for mobile apps. Windows RT will also have special touch-oriented versions of Microsoft Office.

The other two Windows 8 versions are meant for enterprise users. First off, there is Windows 8 Pro which comes with many business-friendly features such as file system encryption, domain connectivity and virtual drive utilization. Then we have Windows 8 Enterprise, deployed in bulk throughout an organization with features that allow IT professionals to better manage a network of machines.

We don't have any details on pricing or availability as yet, but you can be sure that we'll let you know as soon as we find out.

Source: PC World