Microsoft Wants to Take on Google Chrome OS With New Windows 10 S

Published May 11th, 2017 - 02:55 GMT
The new Microsoft Windows 10 S is being lined up as a direct competitor to Chrome OS. (Pixabay)
The new Microsoft Windows 10 S is being lined up as a direct competitor to Chrome OS. (Pixabay)

Microsoft has unveiled Windows 10 S at the #MicrosoftEDU event this week in New York. The new Windows experience is aimed at the education sector and will focus on security and performance at an affordable price point. 

The device will be a competitor to Google's Chromebooks which have taken up a bigger market share in the education sector of late thanks to it's low price point and cloud-based software.

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Windows 10 S PCs will be able to download software only through the Windows Store meaning increased security, better performance and more focus on the educational needs of students as well as teachers. Those wishing to install custom software outside of Windows Store, will have to opt to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.

Windows 10 S will take 15 seconds to be ready for the first time - much faster than other versions of Windows. PCs can also be set up using a USB drive, making installations on multiple PCs a relatively simple process.

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Windows 10 S devices will also come with Minecraft Education Edition and a free subscription to Office 365 with Microsoft Teams. 

Windows 10 S Education PCs will start at $189 and will be available through partner manufacturers such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, HP, Samsung and Toshiba.

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