Windows 10 sera la dernière version de Windows, en quelque sorte

Microsoft executive Jerry Nixon announced that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows at Microsoft’s Ignite conference in Chicago. That does not mean Windows is going away, but that the company would be following a new strategy focusing on turning Windows into a service, incrementally updating it with smaller changes, versus big updates altogether. We would now possibly see updates named windows 10.1 and so on, but we should not expect Microsoft to release yearly updates anymore.

So, what does it mean to turn Windows into a service? There’s more than one way to look at software service, but we could now expect new changes, functions, and apps added through regular updates from now on. You would no longer need to upgrade from version 10 to 11 by re-installing the operating system. However, time will tell more as Microsoft launches the new platform. Many other software companies have already ditched releasing new versions of their products, requiring long installs and learning curves. Focusing more on smaller incremental updates, companies like Adobe have successfully built  a subscription based service allowing users to signup for software on a much smaller payment agreement, versus buying a single version of it.

Microsoft has gone through some significant changes under the new optimistic CEO Satya Nadella. First, the acquisition of Nokia devices and services in hopes of improving their mobile presence, and now with the announced changes to Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Not much affirmative information is known at this time, and we will have to wait and see what Microsoft will have in store for Windows OS users.

This move will surely benefit Windows users, by enabling regular updates including new enhancements and features, instead of having to wait, purchase and install a whole new version. On the back end, it should allow Microsoft to better manage resources. We have yet to see what pricing strategy Microsoft will use, or if it will be a subscription based model requiring yearly payments. The change itself is not a big surprise, and the company had already expressed the change of direction being imminent before. This does not mean that we will never see a Windows 11 or 12, but that users will no longer be as affected by these updates. Hence, Windows 10 to be last version ever, sort of.