Windows 8 Pro, which has been available as an upgrade for Windows XP, Vista and 7 users for only $39.99, will be jumping in price up to $199.99 after January 31st. The standard Windows 8 will be available for $119.99. However, if you purchased a Windows 7 PC after June 2nd of last year but before January 31st of this year, you have until February 28th to register for the Windows Upgrade Offer to receive the upgrade for $14.99. After that date, you’ll have to pay full price too if you decide to upgrade to Windows 8.

Why the 500% increase? The $39.99 was never intended to be permanent; it was a special offer to encourage early adoption. Depending on how you look at it, that may or may not have been successful. According to a report by web metrics firm Net Applications Windows 8 market share in December grew by 57% over November’s totals.

However that still leaves Windows 8 in 7th place in market share at a dismal 1.72%. This leaves Windows 8 trailing far behind Windows 7 at approximately 45%, Windows XP at 39% and even Windows Vista at 5% and Mac OS X 10.8, 10.7 and 10.6 at about 2% each. Compared to one month after Windows 7’s launch, Windows 8’s activation rate has been significantly lower, and Windows 7 did not have a drastic introductory price to drive sales. Time will tell of this is too soon to bring the price of Windows 8 up, or if consumers just decide that new operating system isn’t worth the higher price.

If you’ve been on the fence about upgrading to Windows 8, the time to make up your mind is now. If you wait until February 1st, you’ll have to pay an $80 or $160 procrastination fee. However, if you feel the same way the guy in this video feels, maybe it’s worth the wait. Caution, some language NSFW.

Source: Windows Team Blog via The Verge

Do you think that Windows 8 will continue to grow in market share and over take Windows 7 and XP, or do you think that Windows 8 is going to be left out in the cold, especially after the price jump? Will Windows 8 be the new Windows Vista? Let us know in the comments down below.