What Microsoft Investors Need To Know About Windows 10x

Summary

• Microsoft is working on a new Operating System.
• It's a lightweight version of Windows 10.
• It might be a serious Google Chrome competitor.

Microsoft is currently working on a variant of their Windows 10 Operating System that is currently named "Windows 10x".

If you allow me to get technical for a bit, I will try and explain what Windows 10x is, what Microsoft is trying to accomplish, and what impact it may have on Microsoft (MSFT) stock early in 2021.

What is Windows 10x?

Windows 10X is a new version of Windows 10 that been built from the ground up for foldable PC experiences in both dual-screen and single-screen configurations.

It’s built on top of a new modern version of Windows 10 that guts legacy components and features in favor of contemporary user experiences and enhanced security.

This means everything from the Windows Shell to the underlying Operating System will be rebuilt with modern technologies, while still maintaining legacy app support for those who need it.

How is Windows 10x different from Windows 10?

Windows 10X will run traditional Win32 desktop applications from the cloud and will also run Univeral Windows Apps (UWP) and Progressive Web Apps (PWA). It will run those in containers.

All classic Win32 desktop applications will remain isolated from the core Windows operating system and will not be able to cause crashes or security problems.

To summarize, this decentralized container system means that the Windows 10x Operating System will be lighter, faster, safer, and more secure than the versions of Windows 10 you are familiar with today.

Faster Updates

Because of the cleaner Operating System architecture, one of the promises Microsoft is making about Windows 10x is a smoother upgrade process. For those who may not know, the current Windows 10 upgrade/update process is perceived as unreliable and tedious.

Windows 10x will allegedly update itself infinitely faster than Windows 10 does and with fewer system restarts.

If true, this will be well received by consumers.

Why is Microsoft building Windows 10x in the first place?

The answer to this question is an evolving one. 

The rationale was initially that Windows 10X was being developed to power the next generation of computers which are dual-screen and foldable devices.

Existing versions/editions of Windows 10 can’t support all the features of these devices and that was the primary reason Microsoft initially offered for Windows 10X development.

After some aggressive development milestones were missed, Microsoft seemed to pivot and reposition this as a Google Chrome OS competitor and added laptops and desktops back into the supported devices category.

The market for Google (GOOG) Chrome OS

The Global Chromebooks Market is expected to reach USD 14.03 Billion by 2027, according to a report by Reports and Data. Microsoft seems to be going directly after this market.

Chromebooks are fundamentally lightweight substitutes for laptops/tablets that function on ChromeOS, a Linux-based operating system, which uses Chrome browser for its operations.

The devices are developed to manage less processor-intensive and demanding jobs and are much less expensive as compared to Windows OS/ macOS counterparts.

Windows 10x playing in this market would give customers a choice for the first time and potentially unlock a new source of revenue for Microsoft (MSFT).

Takeaways for a Microsoft (MSFT) investor

The fact that Microsoft is building a variant of Windows 10, the world's most popular Operating System should be on your radar.

The implications of this Operating System taking on Google Chrome OS show Microsoft under Satya Nadella continuing to be aggressive and compete in multiple arenas whether they be hardware or software.

In addition, a lightweight, less complex but more secure version of Windows could be a hit with hospitals, schools, and non-profits, etc. And, it may also become popular with regular Windows 10 users who would like to simplify their Windows usage.

The one wildcard that investors should consider is that Windows has seemed bloated and complicated for a long time for a lot of users. A lightweight alternative on different form factors could re-energize the Windows platform altogether.

While we haven't seen this Operating System yet, rumors about that it has been released to Manufacturing this month.

Assuming Microsoft is able to develop and roll out this Operating System flawlessly, 2021 could be a very profitable year indeed. I would wait until Q1 of 2021 to see whether Microsoft's developers are able to put out a stable product and based on consumer feedback, it might be time to buy.