Buzz
Recalling last year, Microsoft released Windows 10 S for users, targeting the education sector. This new version aims to make this special SKU safer and faster than the full-fledged operating system.
Windows 10 S is not offered as a standalone version.
On the flip side, Microsoft also allows users of Windows 10 S to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free on their devices, with a small fee required for third-party models.
However, Windows 10 S is no longer provided as a standalone version; instead, it will be integrated within Windows 10 SKU and activated by default on devices it runs on.
This means that almost every version of Windows 10 will support S Mode, not just Windows 10 Pro.
Users prefer using Windows 10 S
According to Thurrott, users running Windows 10 Home and Education will receive a free upgrade from S Mode to the full operating system. Conversely, customers using Windows 10 Pro and S Mode will need to pay 49 USD to switch to the full operating system; updating Windows 10 S will not be as straightforward as before.
Additionally, Microsoft will sell S Mode to their partners, and similar reports indicate that Windows 10 Pro S will be offered as part of Core, Value, Entry, and Small Tablet SKU. This means Core+ and Workstations will not be able to activate S Mode on devices.
Windows 10 S comes pre-installed on Microsoft's Surface laptops and can be upgraded to Windows 10 for free.
According to statistics cited from the source, Microsoft claims that over 60% of users purchasing third-party devices support Windows 10 S, despite limitations on apps in the Microsoft Store.
On another front, Microsoft is actively enhancing its Bing Speech tool by updating the Bing Speech API to support 6 new languages for Text-to-Speech, enabling developers to integrate it into their applications for smarter and more impressive functionalities.
