14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Lite, the Google Chrome OS-like operating system that Microsoft is currently working on, could be announced at the Build developer conference ahead of a public preview later this year, according to a new report.
Currently called Windows Lite, this new project could end up launching under a completely new name and may not even be called Windows, according to previous reports.
But Brad Sams of Petri says familiar Windows elements will be retained, like the Out of Box Experience that you’ll get when setting it up.
The interface, however, will be heavily updated to better serve the purpose of the operating system, and a mockup shows that Windows Lite would indeed adopt a different approach as compared to Windows.
File Explorer will continue to be offered, alongside basic features like Settings and window mode support. Lite OS is specifically developed to focus on UWPs and PWAs, but Microsoft also wants to include support for Win32 programs, only not natively.
First preview later this year
At this point, the software giant is exploring two different options, namely streaming and containers, but a decision in this regard hasn’t been made just yet, the source notes.
Windows Lite will mostly be aimed at entry-level devices, but the platform could gradually improve to target heavy users as well, though for the time being, it just looks like Windows 10 will continue to be positioned as the top choice for enterprises.
However, Microsoft hopes Windows Lite would help create a new category of products, and this is why third-party manufacturers are already working on hardware to run it. As it turns out, both ARM and Intel chipsets are supported by Windows Lite at the moment, but it remains to be seen if this approach is retained in the final version of the operating system.
Microsoft could discuss Windows Lite at the Build developer conference in May, while a public preview could ship in the summer. There’s no ETA as to when the final version could launch, however, expect to hear more about Windows Lite as work on this project advances.