Microsoft details seven editions of Windows 10 - including versions for enterprise, mobile and Internet of Things
'We designed Windows 10 to deliver a more personal computing experience across a range of devices' says Microsoft
Microsoft has provided details of the different versions of Windows 10 that will be available when its new operating system is launched later this year.
In a blog post titled Introducing Windows 10 Editions, corporate vice president of Windows Tony Prophet outlined seven different versions of Windows 10, including two specifically designed for enterprise use: Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise.
Prophet confirmed that the operating system is set to be released this summer, possibly as early as the end of July, and will be free to Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users who upgrade within one year of Windows 10's release.
"We designed Windows 10 to deliver a more personal computing experience across a range of devices. An experience optimised for each device type, but familiar to all. Windows 10 will power an incredibly broad range of devices - everything from PCs, tablets, phones, Xbox One, Microsoft HoloLens and Surface Hub," he said.
Windows 10 Enterprise will provide "advanced capabilities to help protect against the ever-growing range of modern security threats targeted at devices, identities, applications and sensitive company information" as well as a range of options for device and application management.
"With Windows 10, Enterprise customers will also have access to the Long Term Servicing Branch as a deployment option for their mission-critical devices and environments," Prophet added.
As the name suggests, Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise is designed for mobile devices including smartphones and "small tablets". There will also be an operating system called Windows 10 IoT Core for connected devices.
"There will also be versions of Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise for industry devices like ATMs, retail point-of-sale, handheld terminals and industrial robotics and Windows 10 IoT Core for small footprint, low cost devices like gateways," said Prophet.
Other variants of the upcoming Windows 10 operating system include Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Education, with the latter designed for schools and other academic institutions.
Microsoft is keen to point out that the release of Windows 10 won't mark the end of its development and, as previously revealed, the operating system will update automatically everyday.
"Because we have built Windows 10 to be delivered as a service, this milestone is just the beginning of the new generation of Windows. Starting this fall, customers can expect ongoing innovation and security updates for their Windows 10 devices, including more advanced security and management capabilities for businesses," said Prophet.
"We are incredibly excited about the innovation in Windows 10 that will be delivered through these editions," he concluded.
Microsoft will be hoping that Windows 10 will be better received than its much-maligned Windows 8 operating system, which vice president of the operating system group Joe Belfiore told Computing "wasn't all aligned".