Microsoft said Tuesday that it will discontinue its OneCare PC protection offering next June, replacing it with a thinner, free offering, "Morro," focused solely on anti-malware protection.

Microsoft said Tuesday that it will discontinue its OneCare PC protection offering next June, replacing it with a thinner, free offering focused solely on anti-malware protection.

Code-named "Morro," the new protection service will not cost consumers anything, but will also cut out some of the "non-security" features that were bundled with the subscription, including printer sharing and automated PC tune-up features.

Morro will provide users "antivirus, antispyware and antimalware protection," Microsoft said. Morro will not include a firewall, but will check and notify the user if the Windows Firewall is not turned on, a Microsoft spokesman said. Retail sales of OneCare, meanwhile, will be halted on June 30, 2009. A corollary "Equipt" offering will also be pulled.

"The new core antimalware solution will be built to address market changes and consumer needs, and will include real-time antivirus, antispyware, and core antimalware functionality while utilizing fewer computing resources," a Microsoft spokesman said. "The new solution will not offer or support multi-PC 'circle' management, printer sharing, performance enhancing tools such as disk defragmenting, or any of the backup and restore capabilities that make up the OneCare suite."

Microsoft said that the thinner Morro footprint, which will consume less memory, will be ideal for inexpensive PCs and PCs in emeerging markets, which might not be configured with as much memory. Streamlined anti-malware suites have also become the trend du jour, with , among others, making a .

, Microsoft's OneCare had a troubled infancy, and then plagued with a .

may reveal why Microsoft made its decision, however: while the anti-malware capabilities in OneCare dramatically improved, PC Magazine was less impressed with the tune-up, back-up, and other features, calling many "still a long way from being fully baked".

OneCare subscriptions will continue to be offered through June 30, Microsoft said, and the company recommends that users continue them, even if they expire before the June expiration date. Subscriptions will continue to be honored for their full year, even if they extend into the period when the OneCare services won't be offered to new subscribers. Photo backup will also be continued. Microsoft also said that it will offer free online support on its Web site for those consumers who still have questions.