Surrender to 80% piracy Microsoft Offer Windows10 free to Steady Chinese Market

Microsoft has decided to offer hundreds of millions of Chinese pirated software users a free upgrade to legitimate copies of the Windows operating system.

Piracy has plagued Microsoft’s business in China, where it is estimated that 80 per cent of PCs running Windows are using pirated software.

Ironically that has given Microsoft a foot in the door to one of the world’s most promising tech markets, and helps it to sell its online services and other products. While its rivals including Google and Facebook are in effect shut out.

Free copies of Windows10 will be distributed through partnerships with local tech companies in China, which will offer to cement their own relationships with consumers.

PC maker Lenovo, social networking and gaming company Tencent, and smart phone maker Xiaomi will also take part in, which will cover tables and smart phone versions of Windows10 as well as PCs.