14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is gearing up to introduce a new major update for Windows 10 in the summer, and the company is making some changes to its hardware requirements, but it turns out that no other modifications are planned for licensing terms covering OEMs building devices to run the OS.
Specifically, the Windows 10 Anniversary Update will continue to be offered free of charge to OEMs launching devices with a screen up to 9 inches, including here not only tablets but also phones. The same policy is being used right now for Windows 10, and according to a new report, Microsoft will continue to stick with it for the Anniversary Update as well.
But on the other hand, the Redstone update will allow OEMs to create devices with screens as small as 7 inches and still run Windows 10, while Windows 10 Mobile devices, including tablets and smartphones, can have a display of a maximum of 9 inches, up from 7.9 inches.
More Windows 10 Mobile tablets wanted
The catch here is that, by raising the bar here, Microsoft aims to bring more Windows 10 Mobile tablets to the market, as it might try to embrace a strategy similar to Apple’s.
Apple has Mac OS X for desktops and iOS for phones and tablets, and all devices are in sync thanks to features that will also be significantly improved in the coming updates. With the new hardware requirements, Microsoft could have Windows 10 for desktops and Windows 10 Mobile for phones and tablets, although the PC version of the operating system can very well run on tablets too.
By making the Windows 10 license free of charge for OEM devices meeting specific requirements, Microsoft helps bring more affordable products to the markets, as companies no longer need to include the license cost in the final price of the device. The same strategy is being used since Windows 8.1, and it looks like Microsoft has no plans to give up on it anytime soon.