14 DAY TRIAL // Now that Microsoft is giving the finishing touches to the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, which is scheduled to go live for production devices later this month, insiders are getting ready for the next feature update for Windows 10 and due in the fall of 2019.
Likely to be codenamed 19H2, or version 1909, this new release will be the second update of the year for Windows 10, as per Microsoft’s very own schedule.
The Redmond-based software giant now ships two different feature updates for Windows 10 every year.
First, it’s the spring update, which is typically finalized in March and then shipped in April (or later as it happens with the May 2019 Update). And second, it’s the fall update, which in turn is completed in September and then published for production devices in October.
As any other feature update, these releases come with significant improvements, including new features and further refinements that help Windows 10 as a whole evolve.
But according to a recent rumor, this won’t be the case with the fall 2019 update.
Because as Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley puts it, Windows 10 19H2 will be “a little more than a service pack,” so it wouldn’t bring new features and major improvements, but focus specifically on fine-tuning the experience with Windows 10.
Judging from the decisions Microsoft made in the last few months, this could indeed be the plan. And the most obvious sign this might be happening is the Windows Insider program.
Right now, both the Skip Ahead and the Fast rings receive preview builds of Windows 10 April 2020 Update, so they’re already a step ahead. On the other hand, the Slow and the Release Preview ring are now testing the May 2019 Update, and only the first is likely to get 19H2 preview builds when they are ready to ship to insiders.
Given the Slow ring is specifically aimed at users who expect fewer bugs and a more stable Windows 10 builds, it’s not hard to assume that this is exactly what Microsoft wants to ship: builds that include fewer changes and new features, which in turn means the likelihood of critical bugs is significantly reduced.
This is exactly the definition of a service pack, according to Microsoft itself:
“A service pack (SP) is a Windows update, often combining previously released updates, that helps make Windows more reliable. Service packs […] can include security and performance improvements and support for new types of hardware. Make sure you install the latest service pack to help keep Windows up to date.”
While Microsoft hasn’t said a single thing about turning Windows 10 19H2 into a service pack, this is something that makes sense in the long term.
This fast cadence that includes two major Windows 10 updates every year has caused particular challenges for both Microsoft and customers. Not only that Microsoft doesn’t have enough time to finalize the development of certain features and eventually retires them (as it’s the case of Sets), but it also spends less time in the quality control stage, eventually leaving critical bugs unfixed in production builds.
Living proof is none other than the October 2018 Update, which shipped with a major bug that removed user data stored in libraries. The issue was reported while the update was in preview stage, but eventually made it to production builds too.
Shipping two major updates every year is just too much even for a company the size of Microsoft, and by the looks of things, the software giant is finally getting it too. If the 19H2 update is turned into a service pack, it can only be good news for everyone, especially because Windows 10 can finally become a more reliable operating system.
If this happens, however, the most interesting thing will be how Microsoft explains its decision to change this approach as admitting you’re wrong isn’t something you see every day.