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Windows 10 Will Launch in Several New Versions, Leak Suggests

Redmond is working on some new versions of the OS

Mar 17, 2015 07:30 GMT  ·  By
Internal build 10036 code shows that new Windows 10 SKUs are on their way
   Internal build 10036 code shows that new Windows 10 SKUs are on their way

Windows 10 is expected to debut in the second half of 2015, and while users can already download and install the Technical Preview build to try out the new operating system, little is known about the pricing Microsoft is planning to use after the free year of upgrades and the SKUs that will be launched.

Information found in the leaked Windows 10 build 10036 that was published on MDL forums reveals that Microsoft is working on some new versions of the operating system that could be launched later this year, in order to better tackle all markets.

First and foremost, Microsoft will continue to offer the traditional Core and Professional versions of Windows 10, with the latter to also include a Media Center edition. Enterprise and Embedded SKUs will continue to be provided, and so will be a Windows 10 with Bing version that appears to be named "Connected" in this leaked information.

The existing Windows 8.1 with Bing SKUs are internally codenamed "Connected," so Microsoft is very likely to continue offering a Bing-branded version of Windows 10 too. Windows 8.1 with Bing is offered to manufacturers at a lower price or even free of charge, which could be a sign that Redmond is trying to go on the same path with Windows 10 and make the new OS available on more devices.

New SKUs also spotted

There are two new SKUs that show up in this leaked screenshot, which could help Microsoft make Windows 10 available to more people.

First and foremost, there's the Education SKU, which is very likely to be a dedicated Windows 10 version specifically aimed at the education industry and available at a special price based on partnerships between Microsoft and organizations across the world.

And secondly, there are the new SKUs branded as "S," which right now appear to be the exact same "N" versions that were previously available in Windows 8.1. Versions called "N" come with the exact same features as the standard SKUs, but they allow you to choose the default media player and software to work with media files. These versions where designed for Europe.

Microsoft has not yet confirmed these SKUs for Windows 10, and do not expect it to release a comment on them until later this year, when the operating system reaches a more advanced stage of development.