Having let users know what to expect come Windows 10’s release, its system requirements, upgrade times and who gets what edition, Microsoft has also announced, sort of, that they expect Windows 10 to last 10 years, until 2025 to be precise.
Simply navigating to the ‘Windows lifecycle fact sheet‘ will show that Microsoft intends to continue mainstream support for Windows 10 until October 13, 2020. Following that, extended support will end on October 14th, 2025.
Windows 10’s new and improved desktop. Image courtesy of techradar.
Just to clarify, mainstream support for a Windows OS refers to the enhancement of the product through the release of new features, design changes or performance upgrades. Once mainstream support ends, if it’s non-security related, it ain’t happening.
Just by the way, the end of mainstream support also, usually, means the end of warrantees. That ends on October 13, 2020.
Extended support, on the other hand, includes security updates as well as hotfixes and general reliability patches. Once that’s over, come October 14th, 2025, you’re on your own.
The reintroduction of the start menu. Image courtesy of techradar.
Keep in mind that these updates will be unavoidable. Windows 10’s updates, whether during mainstream or extended support, are non-negotiable.
What this also means is that “Windows as a service” does not mean Windows 10 is the final OS as we know it today, as many had thought, and something will eventually take Windows 10’s place, but not for a while.
Task View is Windows 10’s Alt+Tab mechanic. Image courtesy of techradar.
Until then, we can look forward to Microsoft’s refocus on gaming, starting off with games like Gears of War: Ultimate Edition and Minecraft: Windows Edition; then there’s the supposedly miraculous, new API DirectX 12 that’s so good that AMD is abandoning Mantle; and of course everything that runs on Windows is about to be interconnected.
Also, if you own an Xbox One, Windows 10 is about to change the game, and all without breaking games we’re currently playing.
That’s a fairly decent summary, don’t you agree? We think so.
Oh, oh, and Windows 10 will be shipped on and installable via a flash drive. We almost forgot.
Source: KitGuru
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No, Arpil 1st has come and gone! I reckon we’ll be on Windows 59 by then. Software and hardware are changing and upgrading too frequently in my opinion, and it points to a combination of sloppy development and of course a perfect way to continually make money.
Anyway, aren’t we all supposed to be plugged into The Matrix by then?! 😀