TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Microsoft on Monday announced that they will start offering their latest software for personal computers and tablets, the Windows 10, as a free upgrade on July 29, 2015.

Windows 10 Mobile, the companion software designed for smartphones, is expected to arrive late this year.

Windows 10 will be free for users who have bought a computer in the past six years or so, powered by Windows 7 or later, or tablets running on Windows 8.1.

The company's goal with Windows 10 is to repair the damages done by the ill-received Windows 8. They seek to convince consumers that upgrading is worth the time and effort.

Microsoft has not disclosed when they will start selling computers with pre-installed Windows 10 or when retailers will sell individual licenses. However, online retailer Newegg on Saturday said that PC makers would receive the software by August 31.

Some of the key changes Microsoft includes in the new software include a revamped 'Start' button and the removal of the unpopular tablet-like interface of Windows 8. There's also a new browser called Edge that will replace the decades-old Internet Explorer.

ERWIN Z | CNET