As the XP expiration deadline looms, Microsoft has started a last second effort to tempt users away from the aging operating system by offering up a £50 gift voucher to customers who buy a Windows 8.1 laptop, notebook, desktop, or tablet. The gift card can be used for £50 worth of Bing Ads.
The deal ends April 30, just a few weeks after Microsoft’s ends its official support for the 13-year-old operating system on April 8.
Eligible for the deal are four desktops, four tablets, four notebooks and four hybrids, all of which run on Windows 8.1.
As a further incentive, customers who buy any of these devices will get for free 90 days of telephone live-chat support, and will be able to download Laplink Express, a file and settings transfer tool, for free.
Over the past few months, Microsoft has been continually upping its efforts in trying to get XP’s massive user base to migrate to a newer operating system, preferably Windows 8.
As of February, Windows XP still commands a giant 29% share in the global operating system market, with Windows 8 and 8.1 lagging behind with a 6% and 4% share respectively. Windows 7 is actually now the most popular of Microsoft’s operating systems, with 47% market share.
