Windows 365 is Microsoft’s name for the Cloud PC, a new Microsoft service that will stream Windows in the cloud to Android phones, tablets, Macs, and more.
Windows 365, available to businesses starting August 2, was announced at Microsoft Ignite, Microsoft’s partner conference. The concept is simple enough: Just like you can now stream Xbox games from Microsoft’s Azure cloud (go.pcworld.com/azcl) to either your phone or your browser (go.pcworld.com/xbrw), now you can do the same for Windows 10 and eventually Windows 11. The Cloud PC won’t depend on local hardware to run Windows; instead, you’ll need a dependable, persistent Internet connection to reach Windows 365.
For now, Windows 365 will be a business offering, though you’ll be able to run it on personal devices—just like you can access your company’s SharePoint files via your own, personal, authenticated smartphone. Microsoft representatives said it will announce pricing as it moves closer to the August launch date, and it will be offered on a peruser, per-month basis.
Though Microsoft’s effort is groundbreaking for the company, it also follows literally decades of efforts by many companies to develop thin clients and virtualized PCs—all attempts to push computing resources off the PC and into the cloud. Larry Ellison’s Network Computer, Rajesh Jain’s NetPC and NetTV, and even Microsoft Azure’s own ability to spin up a virtual remote server are all examples of computing in the cloud.
It’s also another triumph for Microsoft’s virtualization efforts (go.pcworld.com/vrtf). Windows 365 and the Cloud PC is simply the next step.
HOW WINDOWS 365 WILL WORK
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Facebook wants to use your posts to train Al. Here's how to object
Facebook is changing its privacy policy and plans to use posts and images to train its Al. To prevent this, you need to object.
Windows 11's new AI feature could be a privacy nightmare
Your PC will be watching your every move by default.
The future of Windows: Copilot+ PCs unleash practical AI tools
Microsoft is aligning AI with its Copilot brand.
If you get a phone call from LastPass, it's a scam
A new breed of sophisticated phishing scammers are targetting LastPass users with phone calls and emails.
Sick of ads in Windows? This ingenious program eradicates them all
This clever free tool removes all the ads that Microsoft keeps stuffing into Windows 10 and 11.
Controversial Windows 11 Start menu ads begin rolling out
Microsoft has pushed “Promoted” apps from the Store to the Windows 11 wide build just a few weeks after they started appearing to Insiders.
Ring of bogus web shops steals 850K credit card numbers
Fake online storefronts, which show up in great numbers in Google and other search engines, are becoming a big problem.
This free, ancient Windows app will watch your laptop battery
BatteryInfoView gives you the laptop battery information you didn’t know you wanted.
How to use your smartphone as a Windows 11 PC webcam
Windows 11 now allows the wireless connection of Android smartphones for use as a webcam.
How to digitize VHS tapes the cheap way
Preserve your old video tapes with an inexpensive capture card and free software.