TL; DR
- Microsoft officially launched Windows 365, which is essentially a computer that you run in the cloud.
- The advantage of this would be the ability to run a fully equipped Windows computer even from a low-level PC, phone or tablet.
- The service will initially only be open to businesses, and Microsoft has not mentioned how much it will cost.
We have all heard it a million times: the future of computing lies in the cloud. We’ve seen many cloud services deliver on that promise, but we haven’t seen what we always expected: a cloud-based version of Windows.
Unfortunately, Microsoft is currently blocking the service for companies. Business owners have the option to pay a monthly per user fee that allows employees to access a virtual version of Windows. Employees could access it from all types of devices, including low-power laptops, tablets, and even phones.
This isn’t all that different from Google Stadia or Microsoft’s own Xbox Cloud Gaming. It’s just that your connection isn’t geared toward gaming, it’s about productivity.
However, Microsoft hasn’t revealed a lot of other information that we’d like to know. Prices, virtualized specifications, supported resolutions and other details are still unknown. However, the fact that Windows 365 has a name and release date assures us that we will have more information soon, including hopefully when regular non-business people will be using it.