Just In: Microsoft reportedly shelves Windows 10X, its Chrome OS competitor

Just In: Microsoft reportedly shelves Windows 10X, its Chrome OS competitor

Microsoft has been attempting to create a lighter edition of Windows for over ten years with little results. The most recent effort, Windows 10X, is said to have been shelved in favour of upgrading Windows 10.

According to Petri, Windows 10X will not be released this year, and the operating system will most definitely never be released in its current shape.

Microsoft has planned to release Windows 10X, a lighter and more streamlined variant of Windows, alongside modern dual-screen gadgets such as the Surface Neo.

Before the pandemic, Microsoft wanted to prioritize Windows 10X for single-screen notebooks instead.

The transition was intended to place Windows 10X as a more direct rival to Chrome OS. Windows 10X introduced a streamlined GUI, an improved Start menu devoid of Live Tiles, multitasking enhancements, and a dedicated software container for efficiency and stability. 

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Microsoft’s overarching target for 10X was to build a simplified, new cloud-powered version of Windows.

Just In: Microsoft reportedly shelves Windows 10X, its Chrome OS competitor
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

Microsoft has long seen Chromebooks as a major challenge in companies and colleges, but there has been a significant rise in demand for standard Windows laptops over the last year. 

Despite a global chip scarcity, the PC demand has remained strong during the pandemic. Increased Windows sales have directly helped Microsoft. 

Windows OEM sales increased by 10% in the most recent year, owing to high market PC demand. Windows non-professional OEM sales increased by 44%.

According to Microsoft, there are now 1.3 billion active Windows 10 computers. That is a large number of current computers, and it seems that Microsoft is now focusing on developing the heart of Windows rather than releasing a new variant. 

Microsoft has been steadily focusing on upgrading the user experience in Windows 10, with updated device icons, improved File Explorer, and also the removal of Windows 95-era icons.

All of these visual updates as part of a larger project known as Sun Valley. Microsoft has not yet released any public details on this project, although a career posting earlier this year hinted at a “sweeping digital rejuvenation of Windows.” 

We anticipate a large number of visual updates in the Windows 10 21H2 update, which is scheduled to be released in October.

Microsoft is now working to improve Windows for those who depend on it on a regular basis. 

The tech company has recently resolved the problem of rearranging applications on different monitors, as well as introducing the Xbox Auto HDR option and expanding Bluetooth audio support.

After more than a decade of attempting to simplify Windows, it is obvious that Microsoft is returning to fundamentals. Windows RT launched in 2012, followed by Windows 10 S in 2017. 

Both struggled to simplify Windows, but Windows 10X did have some interesting updates that would almost certainly find their way to Windows 10.

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