Windows 10X is Microsoft’s new OS for dual-screen devices

Oct 9, 2019 11:58 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft’s Surface event on October 2 wasn’t only about hardware, but also about software, with the software giant unveiling a new version of Windows 10 that’s supposed to power an entirely-new category of products.

Called Windows 10X and previously codenamed Windows Lite, this new OS was developed with dual-screen and foldable devices in mind.

So much that it’ll also be installed on Microsoft’s very own dual-screen device called Surface Neo, which according to the software giant, should be here by the holiday season of 2020.

The same platform will power similar devices from Microsoft’s partners, and you can include here pretty much every name that worked with Microsoft in the PC market. This is a strategy that worked like a charm in the past for the 2-in-1 product category, as Microsoft built a new device to pioneer this form factor, only for partners to come up with their own devices available with various specs and price tags.

The same thing will happen now, and the thing that will power the entire push will be Windows 10X. But what’s the purpose of Windows 10X after all and what does it mean for consumers? Here are the three most important things you should know.

Launching next year on Surface Neo

Despite being announced on October 2, 2019, Windows 10X won’t be here until 2020. This sounds a bit unexpected given that by this time next year the excitement around these new products might drop, but Microsoft was forced to make this decision mostly because it wants to be the one pioneering the new form factor.

In other words, Windows 10X must debut on the Surface Neo, which is Microsoft’s very own dual-screen device that apparently isn’t ready just yet.

So the Surface Neo itself will be finalized next year, at which point Windows 10X will also see daylight on this model. After that, Windows 10X should be installed on other devices from Microsoft partners.

It runs Win32 apps too

Windows 10X is supposed to be a slimmed-down version of Windows 10 limited to modern apps. But because the lack of apps has already made a victim (I’m looking at you, Windows Phone!), Microsoft wanted to make sure the platform would also support Win32 software.

So it does, only that Win32 programs will run in containers, a cloud technology that Microsoft will probably discuss more about when we get closer to the expected release date of Windows 10X. The only thing the software giant said is this:

“Windows 10X joins the family, built on the latest investments in these shared technologies including newly implemented support for running Win32 applications in a container.”

You won’t be able to download it separately

Much like Windows RT, Windows 10X will be only offered to OEMs who will pre-install it on their own devices. ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are four of the names interested in building Windows 10X devices.

Windows 10X won’t be available as an option for your device, and it won’t be offered as a downloadable image from Microsoft’s servers. In other words, Windows 10X is a completely different platform that you won’t be able to use unless you purchase a dual-screen device developed by Microsoft or another company building one.

The exact feature lineup of Windows 10X isn’t available just yet, albeit we do know it’s based on Windows 10, so a similar experience should be provided to customers. A Start menu will be offered, of course with a completely new approach and a mobile look and feel, so the platform should still boast a familiar approach overall.

Microsoft is projected to share a closer look at Windows 10X in the coming months, most likely at the Build developer conference in the spring of the next year.