It is the end of an era. Microsoft ended support for one of the most popular versions of the Windows Operating System that is Windows 7 on January 14, 2020. Microsoft released Windows 7 in 2009 to rectify the mistake they made with Windows Vista. And it did what it was supposed to do with the taskbar design, new file library and many more features.
For years Microsoft tried to get people to upgrade to Windows 10 with a free upgrade option form Windows 7. But still millions of people even today are still using Windows 7. But now those who will not upgrade to Windows 10 will be left vulnerable to the exploits and security flaws.
The Windows maker does, however, offer a paid extended support plan for enterprises and free support for 2020 election machines. But those paid plans are expensive. Extended updates for Windows 7 Enterprise is approximately $25 per machine this year which will be $50 in 2021 and $100 in 2022. For Windows 7 Pro users it starts at $50 per machine and jumps to $100 in 2021 and $200 in 2022.
Although Google said that they will continue to support Chrome in Windows 7 up until atleast July 15, 2021. What that means for Windows 7. Well, Google says that “running an OS outside of official support can leave organizations vulnerable to potential security threats.” With Chrome’s built-in security capabilities, it hopes to keep users safe while on the web through their Windows 7 devices.
They also said that “With Safe Browsing, Site Isolation and new advanced password and phishing protections, Chrome proactively helps protect users working in the cloud. With policy management, IT teams can tighten controls as they see fit. And our fast update cycles mean better protection from vulnerabilities, especially for enterprises taking advantage of automatic updates.”
That means it will make harder for Microsoft to convince people to move to the Windows 10 platform. AS we have seen in the past Microsoft has provided support for Windows XP on multiple occasions after it supports period end. Given in the current situation of increasing attacks from various hackers, in future Microsoft may have to provide security patches to the Windows 7 OS. But still, it is highly recommended that you should upgrade to the Windows 10 OS for better support.