- According to an internal document from June 2022, Microsoft is working on making Windows 11 a cloud-native offering through a subscription model.
- The redacted document was made public recently during the ongoing FTC v. Microsoft hearing over its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- Microsoft is also looking to develop its semiconductors.
Microsoft has plans to put Windows 11 on the cloud. According to an internal company document from June 2022, Microsoft is working on making the latest version of its popular computer operating system a cloud-native offering through a subscription model, similar to Windows 365.
The redacted document was made public recently during the ongoing FTC v. Microsoft hearing over its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard to convey and convince the court that Microsoft’s business strategy is not detrimental to its gaming industry competitors.
Subscribers of Windows 365 can stream Windows 11 to any device, including a tablet, a smartphone, and, of course, a PC with low specifications. However, its commercial appeal is currently limited to business enterprise users. The Redmond-based IT giant has planned to change that by moving “Windows 11 increasingly to the cloud.â€
Obtained by The Verge, Microsoft’s presentation, named ‘State of the Business,’ reads:
“Move Windows 11 increasingly to the cloud: Build on Windows 365 to enable a full Windows operating system streamed from the cloud to any device.â€
The downside? A subscription model for Windows 11 and upcoming versions of the OS would require users to stay online continuously.
Microsoft State of the Business Presentation Screenshot
Source: The Verge
See More: Unix vs. Linux vs. Windows: XÂ Key Comparisons
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also a massive part of Microsoft’s plans, evident from the integration of Windows Copilot into Windows 11 (announced last month at Microsoft Build 2023) and now through the document wherein Microsoft says it wants to “use the power of the cloud and client to enable improved AI-powered services and full roaming of people’s digital experience.â€
In the PDF write-up under the ‘Modern Work’ slide, Microsoft recognized the threat from Chromebooks in the professional computing segment and is taking steps to bolster Windows’ commercial value.
However, the company also seeks to enhance its customers’ ‘Modern Life’ by continuously enhancing its Windows ecosystem and Surface line of devices. And at the core of Microsoft’s strategy is the Azure platform and, some time down the line, Microsoft’s internal silicon.
“Our ambition is to be the world’s computer. We want to transition from being the trusted public cloud for enterprises to becoming the trusted, ubiquitous cloud to edge platform for all organizations and all applications,†the document continues.
Is a cloud-based Windows PC need of the hour? Share your thoughts with us on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We’d love to hear from you!
Image source: Shutterstock