14 DAY TRIAL // Despite the fact that Windows 10 version 2004, or May 2020 Update, is still being rolled out in stages, Microsoft is getting ready to finalize the next feature update for its desktop operating system.
Called Windows 10 version 20H2, this new feature update is projected to be completed and released in the fall – according to Microsoft’s typical release schedule, the RTM build should be signed off in September, while production devices are supposed to receive it in October or November.
Naturally, Windows 10 version 20H2 is still in the testing phase, and as it turns out, Microsoft has recently released it for users enrolled in the Windows Insider program in the Release Preview ring.
The feature update reportedly showed up for some testers in this ring, and it is officially called “Windows 10, version 20H2.”
While it’s hard to say if this is just an experiment or Microsoft has indeed started the rollout of Windows 10 version 20H2 to devices in the Release Preview ring, the timing isn’t necessarily surprising, as the software giant would use the remaining weeks until the public rollout starts for additional testing and last-minute fixing.
This is an approach that the company has also used before for the May 2020 Update.
According to people familiar with the matter, Windows 10 version 2004 was actually feature-complete in December, while the rollout only kicked off in May. So what Microsoft did was use the first five months of the year for additional polishing, which pretty much came down to more fixes and performance improvements ahead of the first wave of the public rollout.
Windows 10 version 20H2 won’t be a massive release for users, as Microsoft will use the same approach as for Windows 10 version 1909.
In other words, it’s very likely to be a little bit more than a service pack, with the focus to be on under the hood improvements and less on new features. Furthermore, Windows 10 version 20H2 will be very similar to Windows 10 version 20H1 (version 2004 / May 2020 Update), and new functionality will be activated with an enablement package.
What this means is that new functionality might already be there, so Microsoft can enable it for users at the right time.
Beginning with 2021, however, the Redmond-based tech giant could change its update strategy completely, and instead of rolling out two different feature updates for Windows 10 every year, only one such update could get the go-ahead.
The smaller updates similar to version 20H2 could be the ones getting the ax, as Microsoft would stick with major releases that would include new features and more substantial improvements. The change is necessary because Windows 10X is also projected to launch next year, so the spring releases for Windows 10 on the desktop would be replaced by feature updates for the foldable and dual-screen operating system.
Going forward, Windows 10 version 20H2 won’t be a major release for Windows 10 users, but more of a pack of refinements that improve the experience with the May update. And of course, the update lands just at the right time, as the rollout of the May update advances fast and Microsoft should announce broad availability rather sooner than later.
Of course, anyone who wants to try out the new Windows 10 version 20H2 can enroll in the Windows Insider program, and this is a recommended step for enterprises who might want to see what’s coming in this feature update ahead of the public launch in order to prepare their fleets for mass deployment.