If you bought a Windows PC on June 2, 2012 or after, you are now able to place an order for a $14.99 Windows 8 upgrade.
Registration opened up on Monday, allowing consumers to buy the OS before its October 26 release date. The promotion, which grants early adopters with a unique code, will run until January 31, after which discounts will no longer be available.
For the $39.99 upgrade to Windows 8 for those who did not purchase a Windows PC on June 2 or beyond, registration has yet to commence.
Brandon LeBlanc, Microsoft spokesman, stated: "Starting on October 26, we will start sending out promo codes via email with purchase instructions."
According to PCWorld, eligible customers must provide Microsoft with their name, email, address, phone number, the date of purchase, the retailer, the PC brand and model, and in some cases, the 25-character Windows 7 product key associated with the PC.
In addition, there is an optional $69.99 installation DVD that will be released on the 26th. With price incentives set as they are, it's clear that Microsoft is encouraging digital download as the primary method of distributing Windows 8.
Beyond the promotional period, it's reported that the retail version of Windows 8 will be $120 and Windows Pro will be set at $200. Neither of these prices has been officially confirmed.
According to Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy, "Microsoft needs to price Windows in a way that looks smart versus Apple's OS X, doesn't leave money on the table with commercial PC customers, and enables OEMs to compete better with the iPad."