Microsoft on Wednesday announced “Windows 365” – a new cloud-based operating system that can be accessed from any device, including Macs, iPads, Chromebooks, Android phones, and Linux PCs.
Windows 365 will deliver a full, personalized PC experience from the cloud to any device, giving workers and organizations power, simplicity, and security for hybrid work.
It will come as a cloud service that introduces a new way to experience Windows 10 or Windows 11. Windows 365 takes the operating system to the cloud and streams the full Windows experience including apps, data, and settings to personal or corporate devices.
Secure by design and built with the principles of Zero Trust, Windows 365 secures and stores information in the cloud, not on the device, providing a secure, productive experience for workers from interns and contractors to software developers and industrial designers.
Introducing Windows 365.
The first Cloud PC for every organization on the planet. https://t.co/OdJEr3DApx #Windows365 pic.twitter.com/8poKUWqZPP
— Microsoft 365 (@Microsoft365) July 14, 2021
According to Microsoft, Windows 365 also creates a new hybrid personal computing category called Cloud PC, which uses both the power of the cloud and the device’s capabilities to provide a complete Windows experience.
“With Windows 365, we’re creating a new category: the Cloud PC,” Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement.
“Just like applications were brought to the cloud with SaaS, we are now bringing the operating system to the cloud, providing organizations with greater flexibility and a secure way to empower their workforce to be more productive and connected, regardless of location.”
The pandemic has resulted in a new way of working, transformed by virtual processes and remote collaboration. In this more distributed environment, employees need secure access to corporate resources across locations and devices — and with cybersecurity threats on the rise, securing those resources is paramount.
“Hybrid work has fundamentally changed the role of technology in organizations today. With workforces more disparate than ever before, organizations need a new way to deliver a great productivity experience with increased versatility, simplicity and security,” said Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft 365.
“Cloud PC is an exciting new category of hybrid personal computing that turns any device into a personalized, productive and secure digital workspace. Today’s announcement of Windows 365 is just the beginning of what will be possible as we blur the lines between the device and the cloud.”
Windows 365 gives any organization greater peace of mind in three important ways:
- Powerful: With instant-on boot to their personal Cloud PC, users can stream all their applications, tools, data, and settings from the cloud across any device.
- Simple: With a Cloud PC, users can log in and pick back up where they left off across devices, providing a simple and familiar Windows experience delivered by the cloud.
- Secure: Windows 365 is secure by design, leveraging the power of the cloud and the principles of Zero Trust. Information is secured and stored in the cloud, not on the device.
Aimed at organizations of all sizes, Windows 365 will launch on August 2, 2021. It will be available in two cloud PC versions — Windows 365 Business and Windows 365 Enterprise. Depending on the storage size of the installation, the pricing will be on a per-user, per-month basis. You can click here for more information.
