The four editions will vary in the number of security features, giving consumers the option to buy a less comprehensive package. Offering various editions also allows McAfee to try to sell its customers a more expensive option at a premium price. Microsoft's OneCare and Symantec's Norton 360 are pitched as one size fits all.
Marc Solomon, director of product management at McAfee, said in an interview that all four McAfee products would include the basic security features -- antivirus, anti-spyware and a firewall. Additionally, all editions include SiteAdvisor, which adds ratings to Web search results, and PC health tools for tasks such as hard drive defragmentation, he said.
"Rather than try to force a one-size-fits-all service on all consumers, we have tailored four specific service packages for four different consumer profiles," Solomon said.
McAfee announced Falcon last week. It is the code-name for the underlying, integrated technology the Santa Clara, California-based company is building its new products on, to compete with upcoming products from Symantec and the recently launched Windows Live OneCare bundle from Microsoft.
At the bottom of the new McAfee lineup is McAfee VirusScan Plus, which includes only the basic features. Next is McAfee PC Protection Plus, which adds backup features and lets users back up data to a CD, DVD, external drive or a networked drive, Solomon said.
McAfee Internet Security Suite includes all the features of the lower-end products and adds phishing and spam shields as well as parental controls, Solomon said. Furthermore, the suite includes a feature that warns users when personal data such as a credit card number is being transmitted to the Internet, for ID theft protection, he said.
At the top of the line is McAfee Total Protection, which adds wireless network security as its only distinguishing feature over the McAfee Internet Security Suite. "As we come with new features, those would be included in Total Protection," Solomon said.
Like Microsoft and Symantec, McAfee is promoting its Falcon products as easy to use. The products will be sold as a service, with the consumer paying a recurring subscription price. Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare and Symantec's Norton 360 will also be sold on the same basis, the companies have said.
Beta test versions of the new McAfee Total Protection and McAfee VirusScan Plus software are slated to be available this month, with final product scheduled for later this summer, Solomon said. Pricing has yet to be announced.
