Microsoft is working on a new “modern” version of Windows with better security and faster updates, according Windows Central. The initiative, called CorePC, would allow Windows to scale better for different devices while supporting legacy apps.
CorePC would serve many of the same purposes as the scrapped Windows Core operating system (including the also scrapped operating system Windows 10X), which Microsoft presented as a modular modernization of its operating system. CorePC would use “state separation” and divide Windows into multiple partitions, like iOS and Android. This could make it harder for malware to infect the system while speeding up updates.
“The current version of Windows is not a separate-state platform, which means the entire system is installed in a single writable partition,” explains Windows Central. “System files, user data, and program files are all stored in one place. CorePC divides the operating system into multiple partitions, which is essential to enable faster operating system updates. State separation also enables faster and more reliable system reset functionality, which is important for competing Chromebook devices in the education sector. »
CorePC would allow Microsoft to offer different editions of Windows for different hardware, supporting specific features and applications for each. For example, an education-focused variant might have a lightweight footprint like ChromeOS, running only the Edge browser, web apps, Office, and emulated Android apps. Conversely, CorePC could also offer full versions of Windows supporting all current features and capabilities of the modern Windows 11 desktop. (A “Neon” compatibility layer would allow the operating system to support legacy Windows applications.)
The company is also reportedly working on a version of CorePC to compete Apple Silicon, which the iPhone maker started offering on new Macs more than two years ago. Microsoft’s “optimized silicon” variant is said to improve OS performance and capabilities when tied to specific hardware (like, in theory, Surface devices running a particular class of chip).
Finally, Microsoft is (unsurprisingly) integrating AI into the new project. Its plans include using artificial intelligence to analyze on-screen content and provide appropriate contextual cues. Looks like a system-wide expansion of AI capabilities in next versions of Office.
As for when you’ll be able to get your hands on it, Microsoft is reportedly aiming to use CorePC for the next major Windows release (presumably “Windows 12”), scheduled for 2024. But, of course, the company’s purported plans could change drastically. here there. and then.
