Microsoft Justifies Windows 8 VDI Price Hike for Non-Windows Devices
Microsoft has made it more expensive for users of non-Windows devices to connect to Windows, with a new Software Assurance option for Windows 8, called Companion Device Licence. This allows customers to access corporate desktops through their virtual desktop infrastructure up to a total of four devices. This applies when those devices are something like an Android tablet or iPad – anything that isn’t Microsoft, basically.
Microsoft’s Jon Roskill, vice president of worldwide partner sales and marketing, said, “We want to be paid and monetized for our value-add.” The idea is to open the door to running Windows apps on non-Windows devices like an iPad and is “a direct way to help actually solve that business problem.” Of course users of Windows-powered tablet devices won’t have to pay extra. Sounds like just another way to try and cyphon money off customers, to me. There’s a whole lot more on this at the link below.
The CDL is Microsoft’s response to what it sees as a licensing revenue loophole: In its view, companies have not bought Windows licenses for the personal iPads and Androids their employees are using to access Windows through VDI today, but they are getting the productivity benefits of using Windows on these devices.
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