Windows 7 may be creakingly old now, but it is still widely used. While large numbers of consumers have migrated to Windows 10, there are still plenty of organizations that are clinging to the old operating system out of a sense of nostalgia, an unwillingness to upgrade, lack of funds for upgrading, or legacy requirements.
As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer be providing support or security updates for Windows 7 — apart from for those who are willing to pay for it. The company is offering up to three years of Windows 7 Extended Security Updates (ESU), and pricing has just been revealed.
Details of pricing have been shared, and they are predictably high. Extended Security Updates will only be available to Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise customers, and the cost doubles on a year-by-year basis. For the first year (January 2020-21), Windows Enterprise customers can expect to pay $25 per device, rising to $100 in the third year. For Windows 7 Professional, the starting figure is $50 per device, rising to $200.