In a surprising turn of events, Microsoft launched a series of hardware devices at the Surface event in New York which were not expected. But what stood out the most was the Surface Neo and the software it was running. Surface Neo is a dual-screen, foldable device which is running Windows 10X, a new operating system by Microsoft. So, if you are wondering, if this is the new operating system that will eventually replace Windows 10, you can’t be more wrong. In this article, I explain what is Windows 10X and who it’s meant for in a comprehensive manner. With that said, let’s begin the article.
Many Windows users have been waiting for a mobile version of Windows 10, but sadly, Windows 10X is not that. Windows 10X is another variant (code-named Santoni) of Windows 10, just like the Windows 10S. However, it’s primarily built for foldable and dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo. It comes with many optimizations to make Windows apps more modular and easy to use on a flexible screen. For what it’s worth, Windows 10X is very much a desktop-like operating system, but with mobility and convenience in mind.
While Microsoft unveiled Windows 10X at a public event, they didn’t spill the beans altogether. At present, details regarding core architecture and software are still under the wraps, but we can reach certain conclusions from yesterday’s media briefing.
The Billion Dollar Question: What Apps Does Windows 10X Support?
In the launch event, Microsoft quipped that Windows 10X supports “the breadth of Windows applications” including Microsoft Office, Web apps, and PWAs. Make of it what you will, but Windows 10X can only run UWP (Universal Windows Apps) apps natively and Win32 applications in a container. If you don’t know what a container is, let me briefly explain the difference. Native apps are tightly integrated with the operating system so they perform much better without hogging crucial resources. Whereas, containers use a subsystem, in this case, a framework of Windows 10 with essential components for running a Win32 app. So basically, Win32 apps will run in a subsystem that is not optimized or deeply integrated with Windows 10X.
Microsoft announced that Windows 10X will be available next year during Christmas. However, we might see insider builds mid-next year for public testing. Before that, Microsoft is engaging with Windows developers around the world to create applications, especially for the Windows 10X platform. Further, Microsoft is also partnering with many hardware giants including HP, Asus, Dell and Lenovo who will release foldable devices powered by Windows 10X during Fall, next year.
As I discussed above, Windows 10X is entirely a new product category which is mainly designed for foldable devices. So, if you are running a Windows 10 PC, you won’t get the update. However, keep in mind, Windows 10X is based on Intel’s architecture, so at some point, it might run on normal PCs.
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