Reverse Discrimination
It has been found that Microsoft’s “Windows 8.1 with Bing” for mass-market mobile devices covers a wider variety of targets than in the previous announcement. The possibility of controversy surrounding the lack of fairness is heating up among those who have already paid for Windows 8.1.
Earlier this year, it was predicted that Windows 8.1 with Bing would be available free of charge for certain smartphones and tablet PCs. However, Microsoft had talks with some PC manufacturers to supply them with the new version.
Windows 8.1 with Bing provides the same functions as Windows 8.1, but comes with Bing as the default search engine of Internet Explorer and a one-year Office 365 account. Such an aggressive offer by the giant dominating 90 percent of the global PC OS market is due to the overwhelming presence of Google Android and Apple iOS in the mobile market. The idea is to give up on OS license fees while obtaining Office subscribers and strengthening its search engine to increase its presence in the mass market.
MS announced that the free OS would be installed on smartphones and tablet PCs priced below US$199 with screens smaller than nine inches. However, it has been confirmed that the OS has been installed on other products, including tablet PCs from Toshiba and 15-inch laptops from Chinese manufacturers. Some of these products are available in Korea as well.
Under the circumstances, controversy over reverse discrimination could arise, as only those who buy low-priced PCs can use Windows for free. This can be uncomfortable for PC manufacturers as well as general consumers.
“Windows 8.1 with Bing is divided into the free version complying with hardware guidelines, and the discounted version resulting from the negotiations with PC makers,” MS Korea explained in response, adding, “Major corporations in Korea such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have not introduced the new OS yet, and the introduction will be determined in the future depending on the extent of mutual cooperation.”