Yet another attempt at a Store-limited version of Windows

Dec 4, 2018 06:32 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft is working on another iteration of Windows 10, but this time the plan is a little more complex than what you’d expect when hearing about a Windows-based project.

Windows Lite, as it’s currently called, is technically a new version of Microsoft’s operating system that is supposed to push the concept of a Microsoft Store-restricted operating system one step further.

Microsoft has already tested this idea with Windows RT and Windows 10 S, but neither did a great job to help the company tackle the growing world of Chromebooks. As a result, Microsoft is building a new ChromeOS rival that will be based entirely on its modern Windows Core OS experience, and coming with a few extras over its predecessors.

A ChromeOS competitor

First of all, the main benefit of Windows Lite is suggested right by its name. This operating system will be truly lightweight because Microsoft needs software that can power devices competing against Chromebooks.

This means that because it would be restricted to the Microsoft Store, no Win32 programs would be allowed, so Microsoft plans to remove all the parts responsible for these unnecessary tasks completely. In other words, unlike Windows 10 in S Mode, Windows Lite won’t allow users to upgrade the OS and get support for Win32 programs.

Then, Windows Lite may not even be called Windows, as per Petri. The software giant may be trying a different approach that would make sense given the limited functionality, and choosing another name could actually help fight the confusion of having multiple Windows versions with different features.

Windows Lite would only be offered pre-installed on new devices that Microsoft is likely to be working on together with partners. A new low-cost Surface pioneering this operating system could be launched as well, alongside other alternative models from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others.

More information on Windows Lite will probably be shared at Build 2019, as for the time being, the project is far from being finalized. However, the first products running it could see daylight late next year.