Microsoft VP confirms move to replace short-lived Windows 10 S with 'S Mode' in 2019
Microsoft will be moving away from offering Windows 10 S as a separate operating system release in favor of a built-in 'S Mode,' an executive has advised, confirming an earlier rumor it was looking to replace the stripped-down Windows version in favor of an option in full Windows 10 installations.
Writing in response to a Twitter query spotted by The Verge, Microsoft Vice President Joe Belfiore confirmed the shift in strategy, advising "Next year [Windows 10 S] will be a 'mode' of existing versions, not a distinct version." Belfiore also states the S mode is being provided as "an option for schools or businesses that want the 'low-hassle,' guaranteed performance version."
Reports of the plan to eliminate the Windows variant in favor of the mode surfaced in February, with rumors stating it would be included in versions of Windows 10 at some point in the future. The Belfiore post doesn't say when Windows 10 S will stop being offered, but does at least advise of when to expect S mode's formal arrival.
Windows 10 S is a stripped-down version of Windows that will only run Windows Store apps, a version of Windows initially introduced alongside the Surface Laptop in 2017. The restrictions of this Windows edition aims to reduce security risks by keeping installed apps to a pre-screened selection from the store, which also helps simplify device management for educational and enterprise customers.
Users are still able to upgrade from the S release to full versions, removing the restrictions and giving users the ability to install and run software from alternative sources. According to Microsoft, 60 percent of its users on third-party tablets stick with it instead of switching to the full version, with 60 percent of switchers doing so within 24 hours of owning the device.
It is rumored that the S Mode will be available for almost all versions of Windows 10, excluding releases like Core+, but the cost of switching from the S Mode to unrestricted Windows 10 will vary depending on the Windows version used. Windows 10 Home S users could end up being able to remove S Mode for free, while Windows 10 Pro S is touted to have an unlocking fee of $49.
Writing in response to a Twitter query spotted by The Verge, Microsoft Vice President Joe Belfiore confirmed the shift in strategy, advising "Next year [Windows 10 S] will be a 'mode' of existing versions, not a distinct version." Belfiore also states the S mode is being provided as "an option for schools or businesses that want the 'low-hassle,' guaranteed performance version."
Reports of the plan to eliminate the Windows variant in favor of the mode surfaced in February, with rumors stating it would be included in versions of Windows 10 at some point in the future. The Belfiore post doesn't say when Windows 10 S will stop being offered, but does at least advise of when to expect S mode's formal arrival.
Windows 10 S is a stripped-down version of Windows that will only run Windows Store apps, a version of Windows initially introduced alongside the Surface Laptop in 2017. The restrictions of this Windows edition aims to reduce security risks by keeping installed apps to a pre-screened selection from the store, which also helps simplify device management for educational and enterprise customers.
We use Win10S as an option for schools or businesses that want the 'low-hassle'/ guaranteed performance version. Next year 10S will be a "mode" of existing versions, not a distinct version. SO I think it's totally fine/good that it's not mentioned.
-- Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore)
Users are still able to upgrade from the S release to full versions, removing the restrictions and giving users the ability to install and run software from alternative sources. According to Microsoft, 60 percent of its users on third-party tablets stick with it instead of switching to the full version, with 60 percent of switchers doing so within 24 hours of owning the device.
It is rumored that the S Mode will be available for almost all versions of Windows 10, excluding releases like Core+, but the cost of switching from the S Mode to unrestricted Windows 10 will vary depending on the Windows version used. Windows 10 Home S users could end up being able to remove S Mode for free, while Windows 10 Pro S is touted to have an unlocking fee of $49.
Comments
sounds like something Samsung cooked up for their duplicate of an existing Android feature.
What are these people serving , alphabet soup?
Micrsoft’s business model with Windows is to create a single software product that is all things to all people. I have no doubt that there are utilitarian reasons under the hood for Windows to have an ‘s mode’ version built into the full installation, rather than having a separate version of the OS. Clearly the now-sunsetted ‘10 S’ was an attempt to venture into something more akin to Apple’s OS structure, but that probably became too unwieldy for them to consistently manage alongside the standard version of Windows. One could imagine that developing parallel updates to Windows and Windows 10S involved a lot of duplicative work, while actually multiplying the probable number of functional variables. That would then create higher probabilities for unanticipated bugs, even though the objective of 10S was to create a more stable experience for their Surface products. So for Microsoft, it’s probably easier to create consistency across platforms by writing one version of Windows and simply switching off some of it to run on Surface machines.
Meanwhile, Apple continues not to try to be all things to all people. MacOS runs on a very small number of machines, all of them made by Apple. The same goes for iOS, which is separately designed to run on touchscreen devices, all of them made by Apple. That creates orders of magnitude fewer variables that must be anticipated in the operating systems, which generally yields greater stability and fewer crashes and bugs. MacOS and iOS function differently, because the machines they run on function differently. While there are cross-platform consistencies, there are also significant differences in the user interfaces that are best designed separately.
This seems to frustrate the people who continually pipe up with lamentations that Apple doesn’t write a single, cross-platform OS, or create touchscreen MacBooks, or run MacOS on iPads, or make it easy to swap out or add on third party components to Macs and MacBooks, or simply open up MacOS to other manufacturers. All those complaints are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of Apple’s core model that has existed from the beginning of the company. By creating the OS and the hardware exclusively in-house, Apple will never be all things to all people, but they will be very good at creating devices that some people will want to buy and enjoy with great consistency.
My understanding is that Apple has said it will take at least 10 years to get to a single OS for iPads and computers.
I think they could do it in less time in steps. First step is adding multi user(family) support to iOS for iPad, appleTV , and HomePod.
Second step is creating iOS based laptop with mouse support to replace MacBookAir. This should run on an A12X chip so that Apple could begin dumping Intel.
Things can and do change over time, but unless there’s a specific functional and business case identified for merging those things, there’s really no reason to do it. Windows has continually tried to do this sort of thing, and it’s not proven to be all that great. While I’m sure some people like them, Surface devices have not become bestselling category killers. Why on earth would Apple try that? I can think of a lot of functional and business reasons not to merge apple operating systems and devices, but very few reasons to do so, other than to fulfill poorly conceived fantasy crossover narratives.
http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-touch-screen-mac-2010-10
Compare that to a Surface Pro, where you are working in tablet mode, and when you need it, you switch the UI to desktop mode with a keyboard that includes a trackpad. IMO, that makes more sense than forcing you to use a touch UI as iOS with a keyboard without trackpad as a desktop replacement.
Last year, Surface Pro consumer satisfaction was a bit higher than iPad.
http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/04/07/jd-power-2017-tablet-buyers-report-outstanding-satisfaction-ready-to-spend-money-on-premium-brands
Maybe this is proof that Surface devices turn out to be great devices. If MS made it possible, don't you think that Apple can do something similar or better than an iPad w/ keyboard or even better than the Surface Pro?Windows 10 is a single OS, even though there are different SKU.