Another legal fight presents itself to Microsoft because of its message to drop windows 10 support in October 2025. One of the lawsuits in California claims that the company is utilizing the cutoff to encourage the purchase of new phones that have capabilities to run generative AI. The complaint threatens that millions of users will refuse to pay any extra dollars to enjoy further support or up-grade thus the users will be in danger of security threats. It requires Microsoft to continue supporting the operating system as long as it is used in numbers that are below a predetermined amount.
A lawsuit in California questions cutting off support to Microsoft.
Lawrence Klein is a resident of Southern California and owns two laptops with windows 10 operating systems, which would turn into unsupported laptops in only eight weeks. The suit, filed in the San Diego Superior Court, is an injunction that would compel Microsoft to establish long-term Windows 10 support at no additional cost until fewer than 10 percent of Windows users are on the OS. The filing by Klein indicates that close to 45 percent of Windows users are still Windows 10 leading to almost 700 million individuals.
Klein asserts that Microsoft intentionally decided to discontinue support in the face of the system that most of its consumer base was still using. The step, he claims is part of the shift to instigate the purchase of new hardware optimized to use Microsoft’s generative AI tools including Windows 11 with the Copilot assistant bundled with it. As alleged by the complaint, Microsoft has leveraged its operating system market dominance to push products that are meant to host AI applications.
According to the lawsuit, 240 million PCs are incompatible with Windows 11 and the owners of those computers have to decide between paying to gain access to extended security patches or upgrade their computer entirely. Premium support will be available at cost to be paid by individuals and cost per device to be paid by business the first year will be 30 dollars and 61 dollars respectively with the cost of support by business going up to 244 dollars in the third year.
Millions of Windows 10 Users are At Risk of Security
In a filing by Klein, it warns that the future abatement of free updates will increase cybersecurity vulnerabilities to millions of users who reject or cannot update. He asserts that companies that keep sensitive data about the consumers will be more exposed to cyberattacks after security updates have been axed. According to a complaint, these users will have an increased risk of a cyberattack or other data protection incident, a fact of which Microsoft is very much aware. Through the lawsuit, the environmental aspect is also mentioned as an analyst estimated that between 60 million to 240 million PCs can land in landfills in case Windows 10 is discontinued.Â
The analyst stated that by piling up these laptops, it would form a pile that will go 600 kilometers higher on the moon. Klein stands on the point that customer security and environmental sustainability are threatened by the business strategy of Microsoft. Although Windows 11 was introduced more than three years ago, StatCounter reports indicate that Windows 10 is in a bigger market share until July 2025. As it currently stands 43 percent of Windows desktop customers have not upgraded to the newer operating system. The move by Microsoft to discontinue routine updates will translate to the fact that such machines will never receive security updates anymore but they will remain operational.
Windows 10 Phase-Out, AI Hardware Push Are Connected
The timing of the Windows 10 cutoff is connected to the accusation of Klein with the switch of Microsoft to generative AI. He concludes that the company is engaging in monopoly as it tries to compel the consumers to purchase the styles with the feature of neural processing unit (NPUs), as the company tries to monopolize the generative AI market. Such processors are available in more recent PCs and will be needed for the best operation of Windows 11 AI elements, such as the internal Copilot chatbot.
The case alleges that the phase-out of Windows 10 is part of Microsoft using its demands to market its artificial intelligence with the sale of hardware. Klein asserts the plan is compelling customers into unexpected costs and creating further hardship to the people who possess older hardware to keep on utilizing Microsoft software safely. He requests the court to provide an opportunity by letting Windows 10 maintenance extend until the window 10 devices are less than 10 percent of total windows installations.
Microsoft has not Responded as Deadline Approaches
In his filing, Klein does not seek direct monetary compensation on his part, other than attorneys fees. It aims to force Microsoft to give a longer term of support without subjecting the consumers to additional expenses. Microsoft has not commented on the suit.
The determination in the case may affect how technology firms handle cases of migration away from previous versions of software particularly where the users are large and there is a hardware constraint. Millions of Windows 10 customers are faced with the decision to upgrade or subscribe to extended updates (at a fee), or keep up and face the future without any Windows 10 security updates by the October 14 deadline.
