Dive Brief:
- Microsoft wants small and midsize businesses to use its coming Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 subscription plans, announced last month.
- The company will introduce the plans through its Cloud Solution Provider partners starting September 1.
- Currently, only about 0.5% SMB users are running Windows Enterprise version, according to Microsoft's data.
Dive Insight:
Microsoft has caught the attention of enterprise customers lately as it has made a concerted effort to improve its enterprise offerings, creating more flexible solutions for its broad customer base.
The company sees the new Windows Enterprise subscription plans as a way to move many more businesses to its premium product and build its subscription model. One of the barriers for businesses has been the complexity around licensing and purchasing, but the new subscription models are designed to make that much easier.
More and more, Microsoft is turning to service-based models for its product portfolio. Subscription models can allow organizations to build in new efficiencies and create a steady stream of revenue.
