Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system priced at HK$319

Microsoft yesterday launched its latest operating system, pricing it as low as HK$319 in a bid to keep its dominance of the industry.

Microsoft executives said Windows 8 was easy to use and would be installed on new computers and tablets shipped by partner manufacturers or could be purchased as an upgrade.

Joelle Woo, marketing director of Microsoft's Hong Kong division, said the decision to sell the software at such a low price was unprecedented, but that the offer was only for a limited period. The cheapest version of Windows 7 costs HK$1,699 from Microsoft.

Woo said Windows 8's low promotional price was a response to market conditions.

The company has an 83 per cent share of the global market for personal-computer operating systems. In Hong Kong, more than 90 per cent of computer users have Windows installed, Woo said.

Still, the software company has in recent years faced increasing challenges. The latest operating system by Apple, for example, can be downloaded for HK$158.