Once known as “Windows 10 Cloud”, Windows 10 S has been officially confirmed, becoming one of Redmond’s worst-kept secrets. The idea of a lighter operating system that limits software execution to offerings from the official store quickly reminds us of Chrome OS, and of Microsoft’s need to capture a share of the education market. OEMs are already preparing very affordable new computers with Windows 10 S preinstalled, and those who wish to upgrade to a Pro edition can do so… for the right price.
Ladies and gentlemen, the rumor chain has been cut. Microsoft held its #MicrosoftEDU event and made clear the next steps for Windows 10 as an operating system. Its new front is education, a territory occupied by Chromebooks on the low-end, and Apple computers in university environments with higher purchasing power. The official response is none other than Windows 10 S, formerly “Windows 10 Cloud”, a special edition that is more compact and restricted compared to what we find in the Home and Pro builds. Technically, Windows 10 S is based on the Pro edition and will include certain features available in the enterprise space, such as BitLocker. However, we still have to go over its fine print.
Restrictions and Upgrade Options
First and foremost, Windows 10 S will only allow the installation and execution of applications from the store. The concept of the “glass prison” takes effect, and it is supposed to make the operating system much more secure and efficient (Microsoft loves to talk about battery life), with simplified cloud administration via Intune or Azure Active Directory, and a reduction in incidents related to corrupt installations or malware. Secondly, Windows 10 S will not allow changing the default search engine (read: Bing) or removing Microsoft Edge as the primary browser. Users can install other browsers from the store, but for all basic tasks (say, opening an .htm file), Edge will always be the default option. Thirdly, Windows 10 S can be converted to Pro. This is where information gets confusing.
Some portals indicated that the upgrade will be free until December 31 for everyone, and others say that only educational institutions and owners of a certain device (which I’ll talk about in a bit) can access the update at no charge, while individual users will have to pay $49. Personally, the second alternative seems the most likely.
One-Way Upgrade and OEM Partners
Another detail to highlight is that the move from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Pro is a one-way street, and there is no downgrade back except for schools that already use Windows 10 Pro and want to adopt Windows 10 S (in essence, they will receive a free copy of Windows 10 S). Several OEMs, among which appear Asus, Acer, HP, Toshiba, Samsung, and Dell, confirmed that the first computers with Windows 10 S preinstalled will arrive on shelves very soon, with prices starting at $189, and a free year of Minecraft: Education Edition. To finish, Microsoft added that Windows 10 Education and Windows 10 Home will remain available. Don’t go away, there’s more from #MicrosoftEDU.
