14 DAY TRIAL // The Raspberry Pi 2 will launch later this year with the same astonishing $35 price tag, but this time, the new board is very likely to attract many more buyers thanks to Microsoft.
In case you're wondering what Microsoft has to do with the Raspberry Pi 2, it all comes down to Redmond's efforts to make its Windows 10 OS version available to as many users as possible.
So yes, the Raspberry Pi 2 will also run Windows 10, and what's more important, this particular version of the operating system will be available completely free of charge.
IoT now a priority
It's a well-known fact that Windows 10 is part of Microsoft's initiative to invest more in IoT and the new operating system was specifically designed from the very beginning to run on devices of all sizes, including large Perceptive Pixel screens and wearables with small displays.
By making Windows 10 free of charge for Raspberry Pi 2, Microsoft is ready to continue its focus on the IoT concept and the company says that more such plans would be announced in the coming months, most likely as more work on the new operating system is completed.
“We are excited about our work with the Raspberry Pi Foundation and to share that Windows 10 will support Raspberry Pi 2. We will be sharing more details about our Windows 10 plans for IoT in the coming months,” Microsoft said.
At this point, there are absolutely no details as to what version of Windows 10 the company is willing to offer to Raspberry Pi 2 buyers, but it's pretty clear that this could easily become the most affordable PC on the market, as the $35 (30 euros) price tag available for the first generation won't be changed.
Word has it that Raspberry Pi 2 could get a Windows 10 version that would be solely focused on Modern apps, so without a desktop, but more details should be officially unveiled in just a few months, most likely at the BUILD 2015 developer conference in April.