14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 10 21H1 is the next big update for Microsoft’s desktop operating system, and despite the company remaining tight-lipped on this release, we already know plenty of important details about it.
And according to the rumor mill, the RTM build of Windows 10 21H1 has already been compiled, so the next few months would be entirely dedicated to bug fixing and performance improvements.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 21H1 update.
First and foremost, its name comes from the release date – the first two digits stand for the year, while the last two characters represent the half of the year when it’s supposed to go live. In other words, Windows 10 21H1 is due to launch in the first half of 2021, and according to Microsoft’s typical release calendar, this should happen in May.
Recent information indicated the RTM build of Windows 10 version 21H1 is build 19043, and the new update will land as another small pack of improvement shipped as a cumulative update.
This is an approach that Microsoft has used before for the November 2020 Update as well, and the company claims it’s using it because it allows for a less disruptive fashion.
“The next feature update for Windows 10 (known in the Windows Insider Program as 19H2) will be a scoped set of features for select performance improvements, enterprise features and quality enhancements. To deliver these updates in a less disruptive fashion, we will deliver this feature update in a new way, using servicing technology (like the monthly update process) for customers running the May 2019 Update who choose to update to the new release. In other words, anyone running the May 2019 Update and updating to the new release will have a far faster update experience because the update will install like a monthly update,” Microsoft said back in July 2019 when it announced such a service pack-like release.
This is how 2021 is going to look like when it comes to Windows 10 feature updates:
- Spring feature update: minor release with improvements under the hood
- Fall feature update: major release with the focus on new features
As you probably know if you are a long-time Microsoft user, this is something rather unusual, as the company previously used the spring release to roll out new features and major improvements.
The switch is believed to be caused by the debut of Windows 10X, which is now projected to happen in the spring of the next year, so Microsoft just makes its job easier by not rolling out a major feature update that would require more post-release work.
Windows 10X is also believed to be in the RTM phase, through worth knowing is Microsoft will first release this OS version on single-screen devices and only then bring it to dual-screen products, most likely in 2022.
“With Windows 10X, we designed for flexibility, and that flexibility has enabled us to pivot our focus toward single-screen Windows 10X devices that leverage the power of the cloud to help our customers work, learn and play in new ways. These single-screen devices will be the first expression of Windows 10X that we deliver to our customers, and we will continue to look for the right moment, in conjunction with our OEM partners, to bring dual-screen devices to market,” Microsoft said earlier this year.
So right now, the spring looks like it’s being reserved for Windows 10 21H1 and Windows 10X, and this is without a doubt the correct approach for Microsoft, as it should allow for a smoother experience for everybody.