At the #MicrosoftEDU event in New York City, Microsoft has officially announced a special SKU of Windows 10, previously known as Windows 10 "Cloud". This new version of Windows is called Windows 10 S. Here is a comparison of its features with other consumer editions of Windows 10.
Windows 10 S is the new edition for Windows 10 with the big difference from regular editions being that it does not have Win32-app support: you can only install apps that are available in the Windows Store. Microsoft says this change allows it to greatly improve and enhance the security of the OS. Win32 apps converted using Project Centennial (Desktop app converter tool) may run on Windows 10 Cloud though. It is not possible to download and install apps from outside of the Windows Store.
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See the table below to learn how Windows 10 S compares to Windows 10 Pro and Home.
| Configuration and features | Windows 10 S | Windows 10 Home | Windows 10 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Windows Store applications | X | X | |
| Domain Join on premise | X | ||
| Azure AD domain join | X | X | |
| Windows Store Apps | X | X | X |
| Default browser hardened to Microsoft Edge | X | Configurable | Configurable |
| Windows Update for Business | X | X | |
| Windows Store for Business | X | X | |
| Mobile Device Management (MDM) | X | Limited | X |
| Bitlocker | X | X | |
| Enterprise state roaming with Azure AD | X | X | |
| Shared PC Configuration | X | X | |
| Microsoft Edge/Internet Explorer search default: Bing and designated regional search providers | X | Configurable | Configurable |
| Switch to Windows 10 Pro (through Windows Store) | X | X |
X - the feature is available.
Windows 10 Home costs $119.99, and Windows 10 Pro's price is $199.99. It is not known yet what the price of Windows 10 S will be. However, the price for an upgrade from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Pro is $49.
What are your impressions about Windows 10 S? Share them in the comments.
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Sounds like a repeat of RT with the first Surface. $1000 for a laptop plus $49 for Pro. Don’t personally think this Surface laptop will survive. Same material as in the bottom of my surface type cover. Just wonder what it will look like after a year of use.
Sorry for going slightly off topic.
Well, I cannot imagine the success of this product. It doesn’t look attractive.
“X – the feature is missing.”
really? don’t think so
LOL I meant available. Sorry, it was too late here :-)
Is it possible that Microsoft is working on a SKU to completely block installation of Win32 apps in any edition of Windows 10 like Enterprise or Education? Will other editions of Windows 10 like Pro and Enterprise be like Windows 10 S in the future which means there will be no workaround to install Win32 apps?
It is not known yet.