As reported by ComputerWorld, Terry Myerson, chief of buy office 2010 professional operating system group, said shortly before the company filed for the trademark: "With Windows 10, we think of Windows as a service. Windows 10 is really much more than the latest version of Windows. Windows 10 changes the guidelines from the game and redefined the relationship between us and our customers."

Microsoft announced in the launch event on 21 January that the new operating system would be free for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users for the first year.

Throughout a Q&A in the Credit Suisse Technology Investment conference, Kevin Turner said: "We haven't announced the Windows 10 pricing framework yet. The one thing I'm able to tell you just how we've not had any conversations on is Windows 10 being a loss leader for us. The business model stuff will be out ¡§C possibly the early part of 2015."

Despite persistent rumours, however, the fact buy office 2013 is going to be freely readily available for a complete year has dampened speculation that a subscription service is something Microsoft is likely to announce in the near future.

Paul DeGroot, principal at Pica Communications, said within an email discussion with ComputerWorld: "I don't think the idea of a non-versioned Windows where customers pay a model fee for updates and patches is a bad idea.

"It couldn't be costly, but if consumers, from whom office 2013 home and student annuity revenue now, and businesses were billed something less than $20 for each OC and had access to a good flow of patches and upgrades, it could work nicely."