Microsoft will stop selling its OneCare suit, instead offer Morro for all using windows PC. Morro is Antivirus program that will protect against viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans.
It is expected it will also cater to the needs low bandwidth and less powerful PC’s. Its true that many computers in the world still lack the basic antivirus software and the giant said…
“By offering such basic protection at no charge to the consumer, Microsoft is promoting a safer environment for PCs, service providers and e-commerce itself, since it is through unprotected PCs that the worst threats are introduced to the system as a whole.”
Windows Live OneCare will continue to be sold for Windows XP and Windows Vista till June 30, 2009. I am sure many consumers who just got one care will be angry. Will a free product have the features of a McAfee or a Norton product still remains a question.
McAfee or a Norton product dont really have to worry about corporate’s using anti virus because I am sure no one will try it out replacing existing anti virus. But at the home front, McAfee and Norton will have to do something about it soon, else they have to go running for their money. Having said this the market penetration of OneCare is 2%.
I am really not sure why Microsoft is doing this. What ever may be said about this, Its will welcome move for all consumers. An operating system bundled with basic anti virus protection and anti malware.
Morro, can be downloaded it will support Windows XP, Windows Vista, and the upcoming Windows 7. So in sometime you are getting free protection for your PC from Microsoft :)
How is one care protection working currently? Any feedbacks? Because I am sure that Morro will have far less features than one care and would offer only the basic protection service.
Read more from Microsoft site : Microsoft Announces Plans for No-Cost Consumer Security Offering.
@ Gopinath I agree with you ,this is really a surprise but Microsoft’s Products will be free in future I think as they also going to make access office from web ,it’s the pressure coming from the open source making Microsoft to take these steps.Definitely Microsoft will provide better anti virus in my view and there won’t be any problems to security Vendors as you said through corporate side.