Pricing for Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Vista operating system has leaked onto the web

Windows Vista Ultimate Edition looks likely to cost $450

Windows Vista pricing leaks onto the web

Microsoft Canada hastily removes page

Written by Will Head

vnunet.com, 29 Aug 2006

Pricing for Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Vista operating system has leaked onto the web, including on an official Microsoft site.

Pricing in Canadian dollars for different Vista versions appeared on the Microsoft Canada site over the weekend. The page, which was spotted by forum site Neowin, has since been removed.

Top of the range Windows Vista Ultimate Edition was priced at C$499 equivalent to $450 or £237.

Home Premium was listed at C$299 ($270 or £142), Vista Ultimate Upgrade at C$299 ($270 or £142) and Home Premium Upgrade at C$199 ($180 or £95).

Pre-order pricing for Vista was also spotted on Amazon by the Microsoft Monitor blog, although the prices may change in the future.

Amazon was listing Windows Vista Ultimate Edition at $399 (£210) and Home Premium at $239 (£126). Upgrades for Ultimate and Home Premium were set at $259 (£136) and $159 (£84) respectively.

There will be more than six versions of Windows Vista: one for developing markets, two business systems, three for the home and some EU-specific packages that have Media Player removed.