14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is giving Windows Defender a major overhaul in the Creators Update, and this could make third-party antivirus solutions less of must-have software for Windows users.
Specifically, Microsoft is trying to make Windows Defender a more advanced security product, offering not only anti-malware production but also other features that you typically find in antivirus suites available from third-party vendors.
For example, in addition to the typical virus and threat protection, Windows Defender, which will transition to Windows Defender Security Center in the Creators Update, will feature device performance and health features to check for updates, drivers, battery life issues, and storage capacity.
Microsoft says that Windows Defender will thus evolve beyond the basic antivirus stage and become a system optimization tool as well, as it will keep computers up to date and fix the typical errors that Windows users come across.
The firewall and network protection screen will provide information on the existing network connections, plus a troubleshooting feature for network issues, while the app and browser control menu will include settings for SmartScreen and browsers to block malware and malicious apps.
And last but not least, family options will be an essential part of Windows Defender to access parental controls, see activity reports, and manage controls for purchasing apps and games.
Seeing all of these, it’s very clear that Microsoft wants to evolve Windows Defender from a basic antivirus application to a more advanced security product with some PC optimization features as well.
Third-party security offering
But does this mean that Microsoft’s new Windows Defender can pose a threat to third-party antivirus solutions? This pretty much depends on what users expect from their antivirus.
At first glance, most antivirus products are focused specifically on the security offering and less on PC optimization features, though there are some coming with such tools anyway.
Kaspersky Internet Security, which is one of the top security products at the moment, comes with a super-efficient malware detection and removal engine, privacy protection to block phishing, spyware, and only behavior tracking, online shopping and banking protection, parental control features, and PC performance tweaks.
Without a doubt, with all these improvements, there will be more Windows 10 users who’ll just stick with Windows Defender when the Creators Update launches, but time will tell if third-party antivirus would still be needed or not.