Windows 365 now available
A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft officially announced Windows 365, a cloud-based operating system that can be offered as a service to business users. The new product effectively delivers an instance of Windows 10 or Windows 11 as needed and will effectively allow users to have their own personal OS, also including settings, software and private data directly through the same company's Azure cloud solution, in return of a monthly fee.Credit: Microsoft For now, the Redmond giant offers its service to "companies" (organizations with up to 300 employees) and "large companies" (companies with more than 300 employees ), two types of customers who probably need Cloud PCs the most. Windows 365 is currently compatible with Windows, Mac, iPadOS / iOS and Android. It will also arrive on Linux in the future, but a precise date has not yet been given.
Microsoft's Scott Manchester said, via a blog post:
The Windows experience is consistent, regardless of the device. You can pick up where you left off, because the status of your Cloud PC remains the same, even when you switch devices.
Microsoft currently offers several configurations of Windows 365. The cheapest includes a virtual CPU, 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage from € 21.90. The top end includes eight virtual CPUs, 3GB of memory and 512GB of storage for € 147.50 per month. The Windows 365 Basic plan (2 vCPUs, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage space) starts at € 28.20 per month, while the Premium plan (4 vCPUs, 16GB of RAM, 128GB of storage) costs 60.10 € per month. More detailed pricing information is available on the official website.
To some extent, Microsoft's Windows 365 will simplify software management for large enterprises that need tens of thousands of devices. However, whether these customers will actually adopt this technology remains to be seen. Microsoft's move into the cloud PC area is clearly a way for the company to compete in the business cloud in general.
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Windows 10 and 11 move to the cloud with Microsoft's Windows 365 Cloud PC, available now
With Windows 365, people will be able to access Windows 10 or Windows 11 from the cloud on their personal or business devices.
MicrosoftWindows 10 (and, come fall, Windows 11) is now accessible across your work and personal devices through the cloud, with a new Microsoft cloud service called Windows 365. The service is aimed at business users who have transitioned to a hybrid workforce and want to stream the full Windows experience (including your apps, data and settings) from either a personal or corporate PC or a phone. Dubbed 'the Cloud PC,' Microsoft's approach aims to allow you to move quickly between devices and pick up where you left off.
Windows 365 Cloud PC was first unveiled in July, and plans are generally available to organizations starting Aug. 2. Windows 365 Business and Enterprise Cloud plans start at $31 per user per month.
This isn't the first example of a cloud PC that we've seen: In 2018, Blade rolled out its Shadow desktop-as-a-service subscription in the US, which allowed you to access a remote Windows 10 PC from an app on any device with a screen. Microsoft's move into this space seems to mark an easier way to do this, and it could gain more traction given the large number of users (as of May, there were more than 1.3 billion active Windows 10 devices worldwide).
For more, check out everything to know about Windows 11 and when Windows 11 will be available.
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