Microsoft reveals Windows 10 editions
Microsoft's upcoming operating system Windows 10 will ship in three consumer editions and three Enterprise and education editions.
The three consumer editions Home, Mobile and Pro are designed for the demands of end-users, professionals and small businesses.
Windows 10 Home is the equivalent of the Windows 8 edition, a basic edition of Windows 10 that will most likely ship with the majority of devices the operating system comes pre-installed on.
Update: We have published a comparison between Windows 10 Home, Pro and S in 2017.
Microsoft notes that the edition will ship with Microsoft Edge, the new web browser, Cortana, the personal assistant, Continuum, a tablet-friendly mode for touch-devices, Windows Hello, a biometric authentication service and universal applications.
Windows 10 Pro, the second desktop version ships with all the features that Windows 10 Home ships with and extra features designed for professional use.
For instance, it supports Windows Update for Business, which supports peer to peer delivery of updates, maintenance windows, distribution rings to prioritize deployments and integration with existing tools like System Center.
Windows 10 Mobile finally is the mobile version of the operating system that smartphones and small tablets will ship with.
Microsoft has not yet announced the free upgrade paths but it is likely that they look like the following:
- Windows 7 Home editions --> Windows 10 Home
- Windows 7 Pro and Ultimate editions --> Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 8 --> Windows 10 Home
- Windows 8 Pro --> Windows 10 Pro
Again, the company has not confirmed those upgrade paths yet, only that the upgrade to Windows 10 will be free for genuine Windows 7 or 8 systems. We will update the article when new information become available.
Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 10 Education and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise are the three Enterprise editions that Microsoft will release.
Windows 10 Enterprise builds on Windows 10 Pro adding features to the operating system that medium and large sized organizations require.
It provides advanced capabilities to help protect against the ever-growing range of modern security threats targeted at devices, identities, applications and sensitive company information. Windows 10 Enterprise also supports the broadest range of options for operating system deployment and comprehensive device and app management
The edition will be available to volume licensing customers.
The difference between the Enterprise and Education edition of Windows 10 is that the Education edition has been designed for schools and universities. It will be available through academic volume licensing only.
In addition to that, Microsoft will make available special versions of Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise for industry devices that require small footprints.
Closing Words
Home users have the choice between the two editions Home and Pro. If Windows 8 is anything to go by, the Home edition may lack features such as Group Policy, Encrypting File System or Virtual Hard Disk Booting.
Microsoft has not published a feature matrix yet which highlights differences between all versions of the upcoming operating system.
Now You: Do you plan to upgrade your existing system to Windows 10?
I really wish they would just merge Pro and Home together
I can’t upgrade my toshiba lap top. to old
No, I don’t plan to upgrade to Windows 10. I’m not saying “never”, because nobody can say what the future will bring, but at least for now I don’t plan to upgrade.
Also, I agree with Andrew about merging versions together.
I will upgrade to Win10 but unsure when. I hope they don’t remove Bitlocker from Pro.
That’s a resounding NO….HELL NO! I do not trust Microsoft…..
So I assume not running windows then…
Education Edition users do not have “devices, identities, applications and sensitive .. information” worth protecting ?!?
Evident in Martin’s screenshot, I think the “Most Used” is apropos — we just want the “operating system” to get out of our way, stay out of our way, while we’re busily using our (primarily non-MS) apps.
edit:
No, I’m not planning to move to Win10. Might happen eventually, but I’m not enthusiastic about the prospect.
Any idea/speculation as to what the useless Windows 7 Starter (and Windows 8x with Bing) are supposed to be upgraded to?
most likely home…. nothing else matches it
I have Windows 8.1 Home. But I would like to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.
Which one(s) will have Remote Desktop?
I do like Windows 10 Pro and have a a upgrade for Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8.1 Home. I might upgrade with Windows Redstone. I like Windows 8.1 BTW. Comfortable with it.
>I like Windows 8.1 BTW.
You are the 1%.
So they will keep their stupid practice of not giving home users control over all their system options or give them bitlocker?
Kinda ridiculous.
I’ve always privileged clean installs; upgrading the platform itself — a major upgrade that is, not an updated release — bothers me, like painting an old wall. Scrub the wall first. I don’t think therefor that I’ll install Windows 10 over Windows 7. As I see it I’ll wait perhaps 11 months (if free upgrade is within a year), see how 10 has made its way, read users’ experiences (D-Day here starts June 7th!) and decide for a clean install after format or a new computer. I’m in no hurry and, should I have a pioneer’s enthusiasm for novelty that I’d remember that precipitation is never a good map.
I don’t plan to upgrade to window 10, i will use windows 7 until end of life and then switch to linux.
I used to say this for Windows 2000. Then for XP. Then for 7. :)
Seriously considering doing the same
“Microsoft notes that the edition will ship with Microsoft Edge…”
What edition?
Presumably Home edition, since that was the edition mentioned in the previous sentence.
The Home edition.
Heck yeah I’ll use windows 10 Home. I want to stay current, and I want to see what’s offered. The new browser looks interesting too.
Every new edition takes more user control away. Very disappointing. I’m sure people weren’t asking for more of the same. Now MS will take full control of the system, forcing updates, yaddah, yaddah. One day you have one GUI, the next day something else.
AND subscription is coming.
With forced updates, I envision constant changes made to MY system to what MS likes, never mind what I like. And I’m wondering, won’t that create a nightmare for software creators? I mean other than Microsoft’s own software, of course.
Andrew and Nebulus want to Merge Home and Pro. IMO they’ve done too much merging already. I was SO hoping for an OS just for my desktop.
Maybe i’ll try it, but i’m really satisfied with Windows 8. Good post.
I like this spot !!!
Very good!