Windows 10X leak unveils another attempt at taking on Chrome OS

Last year, the plan to make Windows 10X Microsoft’s dual-screen OS- which was supposed to be released in 2021- was completely changed, when the company decided that it needed to focus on single-screen devices such as traditional laptops and tablets as well.

So what really is Windows 10X now, and what exactly it does?

Windows 10X was built off of a new version of Windows, named “Windows core OS. This is supposed to be a much smoother and an improved version of Windows. Apparently, a leaked version of Windows 10X is currently being tested by Paul Thurott, who stated that, while Windows 10X was originally meant to power devices from a large number of major manufacturers, it is now very similar to the Microsoft version of Google’s “Chrome OS”.

It also appears to behave like a much newer version of Windows 10. This features a clean desktop screen, an easy setup, simplified files, improved security features, centred taskbar icons, as well as a start menu which fills the entire screen. It looks like you can only install software from the Microsoft Store and all the apps would run on full screen.

Basically, Windows 10X looks a lot like an improved version of the Windows 10S, which was eventually transformed into a mode within Windows 10.

According to Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet, Windows 10X may only work with Intel systems when it comes to the third-party companies. But it is possible that it may eventually support ARM chips and appear on the future Surface devices. The fact that it is lacking traditional Win32 app support may be a downside of this, but Foley predicts that an Azure Cloud PC service, which would allow you to run normal Windows software virtually could prove to be a solution for this.

It is unclear exactly when Windows 10X will be released, but it is said to be sometime this year.