There are Cumulative Feature Updates, Quality Updates, and Patch Tuesday Updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Now Microsoft is also testing ‘Online Service Experience Packs’, presumably to deliver new features to a few aspects of the operating system.
Microsoft was recently testing ‘Windows Feature Experience Pack’ presumably to deliver small, cumulative updates to select features. Now the company is also testing ‘Update Stack Package’ as well as ‘Online Service Experience Packs’ for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Microsoft testing ‘Online Service Experience Packs’ to deliver features to Windows 11 users?
Feature, Security, and Quality updates for Windows OS users have been a sensitive topic. Several PC owners and users have dreaded updates so much, they have regularly put off installing them.
Apart from the ‘Windows Experience Pack’, and ‘Update Stack Package’, Microsoft is also testing ‘Online Service Experience Packs’ for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Microsoft is adding another way to update Windows 11 with Online Service Experience Packs. Microsoft's latest Win 11 Dev Channel test build, No. 22489, includes a new 'Your Microsoft Account' settings page + 'Online Service Experience Packs.' https://t.co/Uw9Opwest9 @codeproject
— Jorma Karvonen (@JormaKarvonen) October 31, 2021
Microsoft has already released the first version of the Online Service Experience Pack. It is available to select Windows Insider Program participants in the Dev Channel. It is not immediately clear what exactly is the purpose of the same.
Microsoft Rolled Out “Online Service Experience Packs” for Windows 11 https://t.co/bcQIjFC9gZ
News #Microsoft #Updates #Windows11— TechDator (@TechDator) October 31, 2021
Some testers claim, the new delivery method works in a similar way as the Feature Experience Packs. However, it seems the new method could include improvements for the new Microsoft account integration introduced with Build 22489.
The new Windows 11 Build 22489 reportedly comes with a new page to manage a Microsoft account, tied to the installed Windows OS. The “Your Microsoft account” Settings displays information related to the user’s active subscriptions, apps, services, and other details of the account.
It appears Microsoft is planning to improve the Windows ‘Settings’ app via Online Service Experience Packs.
Online Service Experience Packs could allow Microsoft to make changes to Windows OS outside of major Feature Updates?
The new “Online Service Experience Pack – Windows.Settings.Account” has started appearing for a few in the Dev Channel. Microsoft claims this particular update will only make changes to the “Microsoft Account” page within the Settings app.
✨Online Service Experience Packs for Windows 11 updates
— Ezefidelity (@ezefidelity911) October 29, 2021
The company indicated it will release these packs with improvements for specific experiences only. Some experts speculate app pages such as the disk management page, Windows Update page, etc. could benefit.
On the other hand, Microsoft could use Windows Feature Experience Packs and Windows Feature Update to deliver broad improvements across multiple components and sections of Windows OS.
Microsoft adds way to update Windows 11 using Online Service Experience Packs https://t.co/rP3Mb2hpXw #Development #Devops #Opensource #OS – Follow for more pic.twitter.com/oPG0Tkmamo
— Techzine Europe (@techzineeu) October 28, 2021
Incidentally, Windows Feature Experience Packs are available through Windows Update. Interested users can check for updates to find them.
Reports indicate Online Experience Packs could be exclusive to Windows 11. This is because Microsoft could use this feature to improve different shells and features of the OS.