Microsoft Corp has priced its ambitious Windows 8 platform software released on Thursday worldwide at upwards of Rs. 23,000 for Indian users. Designed to run on both PCs and tablet computers, Windows 8 heralds the biggest change to the industry’s dominant operating system in at least 17 years.

This is for the full software. Customers pay less for upgrades from older versions of Windows.

The company said Windows 8 would be available across 2,500 retail outlets in 100 cities.

“Around 250 devices with Windows 8 operating system will be available in the country,” a senior executive of Microsoft India said. It also marks the first time Microsoft has made touch-screen control a top priority.