VMware today announced Fusion 8.5, Fusion Pro 8.5, Workstation Player 12.5 and Workstation Pro 12.5, the latest versions of its visualization software for running Windows on a Mac without using Boot Camp. Fusion and Fusion Pro 8.5 come with macOS Sierra support while both Fusion and Workstation suites come with Windows 10 Anniversary support.
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Windows 10 Anniversary is a large upgrade to Microsoft's operating system, making Cortana smarter, allowing interactions with Android and Windows phones, more desktop apps and games in the Windows Store, a dark theme, Windows Edge extensions, click-to-play Flash and more.
Both Fusion 8.5 and Workstation 12.5 include Windows 10 Anniversary support and Windows 10 server support in addition to various bug fixes and performance improvements. The Fusion suite's Sierra support includes Siri integration and support for tabbed VM windows.
VMware also announced that it's giving away 20 Oculus Rift headsets to the general public. Entrants must tweet (using #FusionLove) a short video of themselves telling a story of how Fusion has helped them accomplished something. Meanwhile, registered attendees of VMworld 2016 will receive 18-months of Fusion or Workstation.
Current VMware Fusion 8.0 and Workstation 12.0 users can receive the 8.5 and 12.5 upgrades for free. However, users of pre-8.0 versions of Fusion and Fusion Pro can upgrade for $49 and $119 respectively, while users of pre-12.0 versions of Workstation Player and Workstation Pro can upgrade for $79 and $149 respectively. Upgrade pricing eligibility extends back to users of Fusion 4 and Workstation 7.
Fusion and Fusion Pro 8.5 are priced at $79.99 and $119.99 for new users while Workstation Player and Workstation Pro 12.5 have new-user prices of $149.99 and $249.99 respectively. Both Fusion and Workstation can be purchased at VMWare's online store.
Top Rated Comments
This was posted ('https://communities.vmware.com/message/2584420#2584420') ('https://communities.vmware.com/message/2584420#2584420')by Michael Roy on the VMware communities forum on March 23, 2016 in response to the many questions people have on the future of Fusion. Michael Roy ('http://blogs.vmware.com/teamfusion/author/michaelroy') is the Product Line Marketing Manager for Fusion, Fusion Pro, Workstation Pro and Workstation Player at VMware. He guides product roadmap and messaging, produces and presents technical collateral, and works across teams to refine product integration strategy.
I assume that VMware could not achieve a late summer delivery for whatever they have planned for VMware Fusion 9. Lacking anything to announce that could line up against Parallels 12, VMware chose to take the next point release with whatever bug fixes that their developers have managed to close, ran a round of regression testing against macOS Sierra (host and guest) and Windows 10 Anniversary (guest), called it "Version 8.5" and declared victory.
I wonder when the real VMware Fusion version 9 will be released?
It was my understand that they laid off the entire team and outsourced them. I'm no longer a fan of Vmware given how all this went down. I'll keep updating my installation, but I'll no longer give them any my money. I know its a literal drop in the bucket but its my money and I'd rather support a company that doesn't have such business practices.