Since September 2014, Windows 10 has been the talk of the Microsoft OS world. Opting to skip Windows 9, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 10 will be the “last Windows”. Contrary to initial belief, this marks the beginning of a new side of Microsoft OS, not the end.
Introducing Windows as a Service
While all the details of what Windows as a Service will look like have not been released yet, more are being announced as it nears the targeted summer 2015 release date for Windows 10. Microsoft is currently planning to push regular monthly updates to Windows 10 in the meantime, and the company has already revealed its “Windows as a service” plans that accompany this.
Current users get plenty of updates on Windows, but they are not really the same kind of updates that Microsoft is planning for Windows 10.
Windows Update has thus far been a hub for security patches and bug fixes, which is a necessary evil when you’re running the most popular desktop operating system in the world.
Windows 10 would get “real” updates that add functionality and change the way the OS works over time. Elements like Project Spartan, Microsoft’s new browser for Windows 10, will be updated through the Windows Store to ensure features can make their way to users at a more rapid pace. Patch Tuesdays will be abolished, and the update cycle will be moved to a 24×7 one. Users could either opt-in for slow rollout, meaning receiving updates in bundles, or a fast rollout, where they would receive updates as soon as they are released.
According to a Microsoft spokesperson, “Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers. We aren’t speaking to future branding at this time, but customers can be confident Windows 10 will remain up-to-date and power a variety of devices from PCs to phones to Surface Hub to HoloLens and Xbox. We look forward to a long future of Windows innovations.”
It is worth mentioning that while Windows 10 is due to arrive for PCs by this summer, the OS will be released for mobiles, tablets, HoloLens, and the Xbox One at some point later this year.
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