Windows 8 retail software sales end Friday, but Windows 8.1 sales continue

Microsoft will officially end retail software sales of Windows 8 on Friday, October 31, but there's no reason to panic as the company will still be selling the full versions of the newer, and better, Windows 8.1 operating system directly to consumers for the foreseeable future.

Microsoft's Windows lifecycle web page shows the ending of Windows 8 software sales on Friday but OEMs can still offer PCs with Windows 8 pre-installed. So far, Microsoft has yet to set a date for those sales to end. They have also yet to reveal when sales of Windows 8.1 software sales, or sales of the OS pre-installed on PCs, can stop.

Keep in mind Microsoft is selling the full version of Windows 8.1 for $120 and Windows 8 Pro for $200, without the need for the PC to have Windows 8 pre-installed. In other words, the end of software sales for Windows 8 is really just a footnote.

Source: Microsoft