Rumor: Microsoft will give Windows 10 major update next year

Windows 10 will receive two major updates next year, which together will be codenamed Redstone. That report two tech sites. It is not yet known exactly what functionality the Redstone updates will add to Windows 10 and how this compares to ‘Windows-as-a-Service’.

Although Windows 10 is not out yet – Microsoft’s new operating system should be released this summer – Microsoft has already planned the first major updates, ZDNet and Neowin report. Next year, Microsoft is said to have planned two major updates, which together are codenamed Redstone.

The two updates will add the necessary functionality, according to Microsoft expert Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet, who has proven to have good resources within Microsoft. However, it is not a completely new Windows version; the functionality will be added to Windows 10 and will be rolled out through Windows Update. It is not yet known what functionality this is exactly. This would include functionality that Microsoft does not complete in time for the release of Windows 10.

In addition, Microsoft plans to roll out a minor update to Windows 10 this fall, apart from the usual bug patches and minor operating system updates. It is also unknown what exactly it adds to the operating system from that update.

If the rumors about the updates are correct, that is striking. Although major updates have appeared with every Windows version, Microsoft previously announced that new functionality will be rolled out with Windows 10 as soon as it is ready, not with major new releases. It seemed that with the arrival of this Windows-as-a-Service, major updates would be a thing of the past.

Update, 13.25: Added a paragraph with information about Windows-as-a-service.