Microsoft Reveals New Windows 10 update – 2 Updates Per Year, 18 months Version Support Only
Are you agile for Change?
Microsoft revealed a while ago that Windows 10 would be their final client operating system release. This doesn’t preclude the additional versions of Windows 10 being continued.
Typically the client operating systems in the past have had long support periods for versions, the most notable one was Windows XP which was extended much longer than was standard. Windows 7 followed a similar path, but Windows 10 is now destined to take a more agile approach.
| Product | Release Date | Mainstream Support Ends | Extended Support Ends |
| Windows XP | 25/10/2001 | 08/04/2009 | 08/04/2014 |
| Windows Vista | 08/11/2006 | 10/04/2012 | 11/04/2017 |
| Windows 7 | 22/10/2009 | 13/01/2015 | 14/01/2020 |
| Windows 8.1 | 26/10/2012 | 09/01/2018 | 10/01/2023 |
| Windows 10 | 29/07/2015 | 13/10/2020 | 14/10/2025* |
Aligned to a the Office 365 Pro Plus Update Schedule, which noted the revisions of Office 365 were a more agile and shorted support and availability period, Microsoft have released the same will happen with Windows 10.
Microsoft have stated:
“Microsoft has updated its servicing model. The Semi-Annual Channel is a twice-per-year feature update release targeting March and September, and 18-month servicing timelines for each release. The Semi-Annual Channel replaces the Current Branch (CB) and Current Branch for Business (CBB) concepts starting July 2017 with Windows 10, version 1703. This page is designed to help you determine if your devices are up to date with the latest Windows 10 feature and quality updates and to plan deployment schedules.
With each Semi-Annual Channel release, we recommend beginning deployment right away to targeted devices and ramp up to full deployment at your discretion. This will enable you to gain access to new features, experiences, and integrated security as soon as possible.”
The bad news is whilst the changes are being made clearer with less frequency, operational impact is probably unavoidable.
The good news is that SCC has a set of services to ensure you can plan for these changes and deliver a better user experience across all of your internal or external users through:
- Accredited and experienced professional services across the full Microsoft stack and widened across other vendors and technologies
- Plan, migrate and manage any route to cloud services and especially managing changes within this change
- Provide ongoing solution support and assistance to customers in other requirements and further changes that Microsoft implement
Contact SCC today [email protected]
