In a bid to redefine the computer security business, Microsoft said Thursday that it will market a consumer PC-tuneup subscription service with virus and spyware protection. “We believe this is a new übercategory called ‘PC help,’ ” Microsoft spokesman Ryan Hamlin says.
Microsoft’s new service will put it in direct competition with security software giants Symantec, McAfee and Computer Associates.
The company plans to test its Windows OneCare service this summer. It hasn’t said when the final version will be ready or how much it will cost. But security experts project a fee of $80 per year or less for:
• Basic protection. Anti-virus and anti-spyware filtering tools derived from technology Microsoft acquired via its 2003 purchase of anti-virus vendor GeCad and last December’s acquisition of anti-spyware maker Giant Company Software.
• Backup and storage. Microsoft will remind subscribers to back up files to CDs or external hard drives. Eventually it may offer file storage on Microsoft servers, similar to a subscription storage service Apple offers to Mac users.
• PC health checks. Routine tuneups, such as scanning for glitches and cleaning out temporary files, will be conducted automatically. America Online provides a similar service free to members.
Microsoft estimates that 70% of Windows PC users lack basic anti-virus or anti-spyware protection. Meanwhile, spyware and online fraud directed at Windows, which runs nine of 10 desktop PCs, continues to increase. As much as anything, Windows OneCare is aimed at deterring defections to Linux or Apple computers. “If they can create a manageable, near-automatic maintenance and security capability, it will help them retain their consumer base,” says Gregg Mastoras, security analyst at Sophos.
Competitors could soon be in the position Corel, Lotus and Netscape found themselves in when Microsoft entered the word processing, spreadsheet and Web browser markets in the 1990s. Microsoft gained dominance by bundling its Office productivity suite and Internet Explorer browser into Windows.
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