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- Aug 20, 2006
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How embarrassing was Windows RT for Microsoft? Not enough, apparently, since the company is bringing it back in the form of “Windows Cloud”—a name they hope will obscure the fact that it is the very same OS that fizzled out in 2013 and brought the Surface 2 and Nokia Lumia 2520 along with it into the abyss. If you can remember, RT flopped because it was restricted to running Windows Store apps—but now that the store is a little friendlier toward Win32 applications, some would argue that Windows Cloud may actually be relevant once certain restrictions are lifted. The OS is rumored to be positioned as a Chrome OS competitor, but I think that may be a struggle considering the state of the Windows Store.
…what, exactly, is Windows Cloud? A version of Windows 10 streamed from Azure? Another new Windows 10 subscription plan, in the vein of Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5? The dreaded (and still nonexistent) Windows 365? None of the above, my sources say. Windows 10 Cloud is a simplified version of Windows 10 that will be able to run only Unified Windows Platform (UWP) apps installed from the Windows Store, my contacts say. Think of it as being similar to the version of Windows 10 formerly known as Windows RT or the Windows 8.1 with Bing SKU. Windows 10 Cloud is meant to help Microsoft in its ongoing campaign to attempt to thwart Chromebooks with a simpler, safer, cheaper version of Windows 10, my contacts say, though Microsoft is unlikely to position it that way (publicly).
…what, exactly, is Windows Cloud? A version of Windows 10 streamed from Azure? Another new Windows 10 subscription plan, in the vein of Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5? The dreaded (and still nonexistent) Windows 365? None of the above, my sources say. Windows 10 Cloud is a simplified version of Windows 10 that will be able to run only Unified Windows Platform (UWP) apps installed from the Windows Store, my contacts say. Think of it as being similar to the version of Windows 10 formerly known as Windows RT or the Windows 8.1 with Bing SKU. Windows 10 Cloud is meant to help Microsoft in its ongoing campaign to attempt to thwart Chromebooks with a simpler, safer, cheaper version of Windows 10, my contacts say, though Microsoft is unlikely to position it that way (publicly).