Rumor: Windows 10 Redstone 2 delay is due to new hardware

The reason why Microsoft is delaying the Windows 10 Redstone update seems familiar: the update is supposed to support a number of Microsoft devices yet to be announced. It was previously announced that the major update would only be released in the spring of 2017, but it was not yet clear why.

ZDNet is able to report this from sources that do not want to be mentioned by name. The first update under the name RS1 should appear in June this year. The second update, RS2, was originally supposed to reach users in November this year, but appears to have been delayed until spring 2017. The first update is said to bring improvements to the Universal App Platform. That update should ensure that the Windows Store can be accessed via the Xbox One and that more win32 and iOS apps can be found in the store via ports.

It is not known exactly which adjustments should be in RS2. It seems logical that certain functionalities that did not reach RS1 will still be implemented. Now ZDNet is able to add that the development of certain hardware is causing the delay. The sources told ZDNet that Microsoft is prioritizing new features in Windows 10 that stem from what the Devices group wants to make new hardware run better.

Hardware-specific enhancements include the Surface Pen, Hello authentication technology, and enhanced Continuum functionality to turn mobile devices into “desktop” PCs.

The delay may be related to avoiding certain issues that require longer testing, such as those that surfaced with the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4, which both suffered from power management issues. The issues caused, among other things, a rapidly draining battery, also known as the ‘sleep mode bug’.