Microsoft wants to move Windows 11 completely to the cloud

Windows has increasingly migrated to the cloud in the corporate sector, so that with Windows 365, for example, the operating system including applications, data and settings are no longer stored locally on a PC. Microsoft is also planning this with Windows 11 for end customers and private users, as can be seen from an internal presentation from June 2022. “Building on Windows 365, the complete Windows operating system should be able to be streamed from the cloud to any device,” it says.

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The presentation became known as part of the current proceedings by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against Microsoft due to the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC examines Microsoft’s gaming strategy and how it affects other areas of the company’s business. While the EU has approved the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the FTC still has concerns. The FTC has therefore requested emergency injunctions against both companies because the US regulator fears a sudden takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.

365-style cloud windows

In the presentation, Microsoft explains its “strategies and priorities of modern life” as excerpts at The Verge show. Moving Windows 11 increasingly to the cloud is listed as a “long-term important opportunity”. The power of cloud and client should therefore be used to enable improved, AI-supported services everywhere. Windows 365, Microsoft’s operating system for corporate customers that has migrated to the cloud, is to serve as the basis.

With the “Windows 365 Boot” function, which was only recently available as a public preview, PCs can be set up so that they start Microsoft’s cloud desktop directly after logging in. Previously, users had to call the service manually from the local system. However, participation in the Windows Insider program (Dev Channel) is a prerequisite. This means that Windows 365 no longer needs a local desktop and users can use ‘their’ Windows anywhere on different devices.

Custom Silicon: Own Microsoft chips

According to the presentation, Microsoft is also planning to develop its own processors to ensure the competitiveness of the entire Windows ecosystem and the Surface products. This is to be ensured through investments and partnerships. This is likely due to competition from Chromebooks, which have seen massive growth during the coronavirus pandemic. Sales more than doubled at times. Google’s ChromeOS also relies mainly on the cloud to keep the hardware requirements low.

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