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Microsoft might be aligning all parts of its new operating system under the Windows 10 umbrella, but there will still be different versions of the revamped OS.
Today the company provided a glimpse of what we can expect this summer. Specifically, there will be Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro, as well as Windows 10 Mobile. Business customers will also have Windows 10 Enterprise, Education, and Mobile Enterprise.
"As in the past, we will offer different Windows editions that are tailored for various device families and uses," Tony Prophet, corporate VP for Windows and search marketing, said in a blog post. "These different editions address specific needs of our various customers, from consumers to small businesses to the largest enterprises."
Windows 10 Home is the consumer-focused desktop edition. "It offers a familiar and personal experience for PCs, tablets, and 2-in-1s," Prophet said, and adds things like Cortana, the new Microsoft Edge browser,Continuum tablet mode for touch devices, facial recognition, iris and fingerprint login, and universal apps.
Windows 10 Home PCs will also have access to Xbox Live, where they can share gameplay and play Xbox One games from all Windows 10 PCs in the home.
Windows 10 Pro is largely for those who will use their device for work and play, as it includes "many extra features to meet the diverse needs of small businesses," Prophet said. It supports Windows Update for Business, which provides greater control over updates and quicker access to security releases, among other things.
Windows 10 Mobile, meanwhile, is for smartphones and small tablets. It too will have universal apps and a touch-based version of Office. Some new devices will be able to tap into Continuum, allowing them to connect mobile devices to a larger screen.
All versions will be free upgrades for Windows 7, Windows 8.1, andWindows Phone 8.1 users who make the switch in the first year after launch. Redmond has not released details about pricing after that one-year period.
On the business side, Windows 10 Enterprise is intended for medium and large sized organizations, while Mobile Enterprise is for business smartphones and small tablets. Education is, not surprisingly, for school staff, administrators, teachers, and students.
"There will also be versions of Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise for industry devices like ATMs, retail point of sale, handheld terminals and industrial robotics and Windows 10 IoT Core for small footprint, low cost devices like gateways," Prophet said.
Microsoft has not yet revealed a set launch date for Windows 10, saying only that it will arrive this summer. AMD's CEO said recently that the OS would arrive at the end of July, and we were expecting a date at Microsoft's Build conference last month, but nothing was announced.
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