The New New Thing! While that may be the title of one of the best technology books of 1999, it looks like Microsoft is taking a leaf out of it for Windows 10X.
Expected to make its debut for education-focused devices very soon, we have a few hints regarding the marketing play Redmond is making for this upcoming OS. According to the very reliable WalkingCat, the official marketing material for Windows 10X is being called “The New Windows”.
Yeah.
more clarifications: the (primary) point here is not about timing, it is the naming 🙃 https://t.co/vbEjaJ8if8
— WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) February 26, 2021
Not much telling, this nomenclature, and there were whispers that the software titan may end up calling this new operating system something else entirely. Because, after all, if there was a time to move away from the Windows branding, this was it.
But it seems like Redmond want to keep the goodwill of the Windows brand flowing.
This new version of the OS will, of course, be optimized for devices in the Chromebooks category. That is to say that Windows 10X is not meant to be a replacement for the Windows 10 platform. The mainline operating system itself is soon going to be six years old.
What we do know about the new “New Windows” is that it will become available this year and target the education market.
A consumer push will follow next year.
At launch, Windows 10X will not be able to run legacy Win32 apps natively, though support for these desktop programs is sure to follow at a later date
The main goal of this new operating platform is a lightweight version of Windows that is both easy to manage for IT admins, and works great with Microsoft Store and web apps. And its main competition is going to come from Chromebooks, which have started to enjoy some real momentum in the US market.
Quiet a turnaround for an OS that was destined for dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo, but its current evolution should come as no surprise for those who follow the technology industry.
It’s all about the New New Thing.
