It seems Microsoft isn’t going ahead with Windows 10X, the lightweight fork of Windows 10. Perhaps the operating system is put on the back-burner to focus on the upcoming Windows 10 Sun Valley 21H2 Cumulative Feature Update.
Although still an unconfirmed rumor, reports claim Microsoft is quietly shelving Windows 10X. The company was quite enthusiastic about the operating system that was to ship pre-installed on next-gen devices.
Windows 10X, not a promising, lightweight, versatile OS for new-age devices?
Just two years ago, Microsoft had unveiled three products that were quite innovative and futuristic. The Surface Duo, Surface Neo, and Windows 10X were all inter-connected, and yet, had individual appeal.
A folding smartphone that turned into a tablet, a personal computer that quickly changed form and function were pathbreaking. But the operating system powering these devices was equally appealing.
All three products have yet to see a large-scale commercial launch or release date, at least in their original iteration. The Surface Duo did launch, but it ran Android. Needless to mention, the device did hint that Windows 10X was nowhere close to becoming a commercially viable product.
Microsoft is pulling Windows 10X, it's not coming in 2021 and the future is dim for the 'lite' version of Windows
Microsoft Shelves Windows 10X, It is not Shipping in 2021 https://t.co/mtgSAeJsA7 pic.twitter.com/Dh3iGhr09J
— Brad Sams (@bdsams) May 7, 2021
Microsoft has been dragging its feet even with the Surface series of products. A few short months after their launch, Microsoft stopped promoting the device.
The company wasn’t actively deploying updates to the Android OS for the Surface devices. All this strongly implies Microsoft isn’t focused on these devices.
Microsoft has constantly wavered when it comes to Windows 10X. The company initially claimed the OS would power dual-screened devices.
Microsoft has reportedly killed Windows 10X, its Chrome OS competitor. All of the UI improvements and features of Windows 10X will now likely make their way to Windows 10 instead. Details here: https://t.co/BbSddwypHK pic.twitter.com/ub6nU0zpbV
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 7, 2021
Then the company suddenly changed tracks and indicated the OS would arrive on single-screen devices. While this decision signaled the beginning of the end of Surface Neo, it also hinted at Windows 10X’s uncertain future.
From powering a select few premium devices, the OS was suddenly redirected to affordable, budget-friendly, or low-powered devices. Needless to mention, such abrupt decisions aren’t good for any product.
It seems the Windows 10 Sun Valley 21H2 Cumulative Feature Update may have influenced the decision to shelve Windows 10X. After all, Microsoft is packing a lot of features, functionalities, performance improvements, tricks, and tweaks.
Why is Microsoft putting aside a sleek and promising operating system?
It seems there are no clear answers to the questions: What problems will Windows 10X solve, and more importantly, what solutions does the OS bring to consumers?
Windows 10 is a versatile operating system, to begin with. Windows 10X itself appeared to be narrow in its approach.
Reports say that Microsoft has put Windows 10X on hold https://t.co/qxcgmHC0ZO via @markhachman
— PCWorld (@pcworld) May 7, 2021
Retiring or shelving the promising OS may have been a tough decision for Microsoft. However, the company seems to have made the same and moved on.
Despite the strong indication about Windows 10X hitting early retirement, the operating system might just survive. The OS has several salient features. Perhaps these components might make their way into Windows 10.
Incidentally, Microsoft is already working to develop a Windows 10 version that runs on ARM CPU Architecture. This version would truly be lightweight and versatile as it could run on SoC (System on a Chip) and other form factors.