Why Microsoft Is Changing Windows 10 S
In May last year, Microsoft had launched its latest version of Windows 10- the Windows 10 S. Designed for education, the Windows 10 S was established as a competitor to Chrome OS and Chromebooks. Windows 10 S was fairly locked down in some places, and it was only possible to run apps from the Windows Store, just like Google's OS. Some of the distinguishing features of the Windows 10 S were
Apps were made accessible only from the Windows Store. To achieve this, Microsoft had made available its complete Office suite to the Windows Store. Spotify had joined the league to bring its music streaming app to the Windows Store. Better security and performance were guaranteed as apps would have to be packaged and made available in the Windows Store, which would eliminate malware and app helpers from firing up at machine boot up. The default browser was limited to Microsoft's Edge browser, just as Chrome OS limits its users to Chrome web browser. Also, Google search engine would not be easily accessible as Bing was the default search engine.
Analysts had eyed Microsoft's move as a strategic one as the company had not enjoyed much success with its Windows 10 OS. And, so, Microsoft has now decided to backtrack and revoke its decision of making Windows 10 S as a standalone OS. The company has now decided to make Windows 10 S a mode rather than a separate operating system. So, now, the Windows 10 S will run on top of Windows 10 Home
edition or Pro edition. The only thing that has changed is the way in which Windows 10 S will be shipped to original equipment manufacturers. Earlier, hardware makers could choose between three editions of Windows 10, while now, they have two versions to choose from, and a distinct choice to enable or disable the Windows 10 S mode on their device. Since Microsoft is not forcing hardware makers to use the S mode, OEM partners like HP and Dell will likely continue to ship their devices without the S mode enabled for their users. The Windows 10 S will not be pushed in an update towards users who are not already using it on their Windows 10 machines. The S mode will be available free of cost to the educational institutions who are running Windows Pro already. The far and wide success of Google's Chromebooks in the education sector prompted Microsoft to take the plunge. Microsoft had tried to combine the Surface Laptop and Windows 10 S OS to become the alternative to Chromebooks, but at the starting price of $999, a Surface laptop would not be sported by schools. Microsoft had said in a statement that the Windows 10 S was made for the Surface laptop, but the whole idea was hard to digest. Users still think there will be some additional software costs to unlock the compatibility of the Windows 10 S OS with programs that are not yet available in Microsoft's digital storefront. Microsoft reported that on third-party devices, about sixty percent of users of Windows 10 S chose to remain on the OS rather than upgrading to a standard Home edition or Pro edition. Microsoft also revealed that within a week's time, if a user does not upgrade their machine, they are less likely to do so in the future. About 83 percent of users would not upgrade if they have not already done in a week's time. The decision of altering Windows 10 S from an operating system to a mode will probably prove to be more beneficial for Microsoft as it will lead to higher market reach through the OEMs who will preload a specific Windows 10 version and still decide to ship Windows 10 S out of the box. This article is shared by Microsoft dynamics crm consultants to explain features of the Windows 10 S.
Source: Why Microsoft Is Changing Windows 10 S