Microsoft has cut up the way forward for Home windows between two person teams: these with AI-powered Copilot+ PCs and people with out. Microsoft now says that the most recent model of Home windows 11—that’s Home windows 11 model 24H2—will solely be provided to these with Copilot+ PCs.
Microsoft stated final Saturday that the corporate has now resumed rolling out Home windows 11 model 24H2 to the Launch Preview Channel with Construct 26100.863. However in a assist word, Microsoft provides: “Essential: Home windows 11, model 24H2 is just out there for Copilot+ PCs gadgets.”
It’s an odd alternative for an organization that has been mildly obsessive about migrating all of its customers to a single code base.
As of Could 2024, Statcounter discovered that Home windows 10 continues to be the dominant OS worldwide, with 64.7 p.c market share in the US. Against this, Home windows 11 makes up about 32.3 p.c of the US person base. By gating Home windows 11 upgrades behind Copilot+ {hardware}, Microsoft might be limiting Home windows 11’s attain, no less than for now.
To recap, Microsoft is basically splitting its improvement into three teams: Home windows 10, Home windows 11 (legacy {hardware}), and Home windows 11 (Copilot+ {hardware}). It’s—and I’m editorializing right here—simply plain nuts.
The replace migrates Copilot again to the taskbar, the place it’s going to behave like an app. In Could, Microsoft detailed lots of the adjustments now out there for these with Copilot+ {hardware} to strive in Home windows 11 24H2, together with Wi-Fi 7 assist, HDR backgrounds, Sudo for Home windows, and extra. “We can be sharing extra particulars within the coming months on lots of the new options and enhancements included as a part of Home windows 11, model 24H2 main as much as normal availability,” Microsoft stated.
For now, nonetheless, these options gained’t embody Recall, which Microsoft placed on maintain for testing by the same old Home windows 11 Insider channels.
The underside line? Home windows 11 24H2 is offered to check, however solely by those that personal Copilot+ {hardware}. Does this imply that Home windows Copilot+ PCs gained’t ship with 24H2 on board, to allow them to optionally take a look at it later? For a launch that’s supposedly all about synthetic intelligence, there doesn’t appear to be a complete lot of smarts concerned on this Home windows 11 replace.
