Amazon.com started taking pre-orders for Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro on USB flash drives at $119.99 (approximately Rs. 7,600) and $199.99 (approximately Rs. 12,700). Notably, the retailer listed Microsoft as the seller of the USB flash drives with Windows 10.
A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the plans to sell Windows 10 on USB sticks, not requiring users to utilise a DVD drive or create bootable flash drives themselves. In a statement to VentureBeat, a Microsoft spokesperson said, "Windows 10 will be available on USB drives for purchase in retail channels shortly after launch. The suggested retail prices for Windows 10 in the US are the same as Windows 8.1."
(Also see: Windows 10 May Be Sold in USB Flash Drives by Microsoft: Report)
The company also confirmed that Windows 10 on USB drives will be available via other retailer stores including Microsoft Store.
Microsoft's confirmation of Windows 10 sold in USB Flash Drives follows a report from last month that claimed the company was planning to sell its Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro SKUs in retail stores via USB flash drives.
The Amazon listings however list release dates for both the versions as August 30, which goes in line with what Microsoft's Gabriel Aul, Engineering General Manager for Operating Systems Group, said recently.
Aul had clarified that though Windows 10 would be hitting the market on July 29, everyone won't be able download the new OS on that date. This would also mean that new machines (and now the USB flash drives) with Windows 10 will be available to buy only after a few weeks from the July 29 release date.
(Also see: Windows 10 Will Be a Free Upgrade, but New Users Will Need to Shell Out Up to $199)
Earlier this week, Microsoft started rolling out Windows 10 Build 10240, which was said to be the RTM (release to manufacturing) build, to Windows 10 Insiders. It was said that the Build 10240 was the final RTM copy, which would be available to OEM partners to preload their new machines.
Starting July 29, Windows 10 OS would roll out in phases and it would start with users on the Windows Insider programme.
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