14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 10, Microsoft is changing its operating system from the ground up and now it seems that the company is working to introduce a new activation system that would help give up on the traditional product keys.
Apps spotted in the Windows Store recently by Russian site OneTile.ru indicate that Microsoft is indeed planning some changes for the way Windows 10 upgrades and activation are performed, but obviously, most of the details are missing for now and what we have is pure speculation.
The two apps are called Windows 10 Core and Windows 10 Pro and can only be accessed from Windows 10 build 10147, which got leaked to the web recently.
Waving goodbye to product keys
The Russian site claims that this is a way to abandon the traditional product key activation system and perform the whole activation process all automatically. Once you install one of these apps, obviously depending on the version of Windows 10 you run, your copy of the OS is automatically activated (if you previously upgraded from a genuine copy of Windows 7 or 8.1). The activation is then tied to your account, just as Microsoft suggested recently.
If this is the case, it’s yet unknown what exactly happens with clean Windows 10 installs that are purchased after launch and how they are activated if users do not have a Microsoft account.
“We’re introducing new infrastructure in Windows Update to help us deliver new builds more effectively to Windows Insiders, and ensure that we’re flighting builds to people who have registered and opted in to the program. Connecting your MSA also allows seamless access to Windows Insider-only functionality in the Windows Feedback app and Insider Hub too,” Microsoft explained.
Obviously, there are many unknown details at this point, but some speculate that these apps could also be used to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Professional through a store purchase.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for more information on these apps, and we will update the article should we receive an answer. In the meantime, if you’re running Windows 10 build 10147, you can check out the Windows 10 Core and Windows 10 Pro apps in the store using these links.