Microsoft Introduces Windows 10 S: A Student-Focused Edition for Future Learning Environments

Earlier today, Microsoft extended its product catalog with the introduction of a new variant of Windows 10, aptly named Windows 10 S, during an education-focused event.

But what exactly is Windows 10 S?

While the ‘S’ in the name could simply serve as an abbreviation for “students” (a speculation that microsoft hasn’t confirmed), Microsoft envisions Windows 10 S to cross the borders beyond academia, piquing also the interest of corporate entities in its latest appealing OS release.

Windows 10 S is a dedicated edition of the globally renowned operating system specifically crafted for educational use on Microsoft’s own Surface devices as well as other third-party devices. Devices running on Windows 10 S are expected to hit the shelves by June 2017, with the Microsoft-driven experience categorized as a premium one, priced at $999.

An interesting feature of Windows 10 S is its restriction to running only apps from the official Windows Store. This announcement underscores that Microsoft Office suite will be making a much-awaited debut in the Windows Store, a move that is sure to trigger a ripple effect throughout the tech ecosystem.

The world of education and research greatly appreciates machine processing speed and it’s in response to this appreciation that Microsoft deemed it fit to limit what can be run on Windows 10 S devices. A common challenge with traditional Win32 apps is their tendency to run background updates that can slow down the overall speed of a device. Windows 10 S aims to eliminate this performance issue, promising not only an overall faster experience but also a safer one with better battery life efficiency.

One might wonder how this new module would affect the quintessential Windows 10 interaction. According to Terry Myerson, the Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group, Windows 10 S retains the core Windows 10 experience but is locked to work with Microsoft-approved apps, enhancing the whole experience for education-based usage. If users attempt to install a non-approved app, a prompt will appear as illustrated below:

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In an effort to streamline the storage of files, Windows 10 S auto-syncs with OneDrive and comes with cloud manageability options – features that traditionally aren’t available by default in Windows 10.

Windows 10 S echoes similar moves made by leading tech companies, including Apple’s iPad program for schools and Google’s Chrome OS, highlighting a growing emphasis on tech-enhanced education.

This fresh move by Microsoft sends a clear message about its intention to see Windows 10 S become an integral part of the future of learning environments.