I think the problem is not that windows pro costs money. The problem is that Microsoft also sells a second-class version of their OS that is really shitty.
From a pure brand perspective, the smart move for Microsoft would be to stop selling windows home.
And while they are at it rethink the "OS as a service" strategy. I don't get the often cited comment on how Microsoft transformed itself under Nutella. They just take the steps they are forced to make because a lot of developers ran to different platforms.
I think MS-software to be less attractive than any time before. Be that windows, their office suite or their cloud landscape, which mainly excels at being slow. And stronger competitors are not the reason for decisions that are mostly not consumer oriented.
I have mixed feelings on this one... tbh, I wish I could pay MS $5-10/month to nuke all the passive-agressive ads. I reluctantly do so for YouTube already.
But the subscription model for windows makes a lot of sense, I think. Leaving people on older versions is the same as selling a crippled version of your OS
From a pure brand perspective, the smart move for Microsoft would be to stop selling windows home.