Windows 10 Update Schedule Could Change

Microsoft is reportedly planning to only have one major update to Windows 10 next year. It could be a permanent switch and appears inspired by requests to have Microsoft spend more time testing updates before releasing it to the public.

The idea with Windows 10, sometimes dubbed 'Software as a Service', was to ditch the old model of releasing a totally new version of Windows every few years. Instead, Microsoft has based updates around a mix of security updates (either monthly or as needed for the most serious problems), monthly tweaks and fixes, and then two major updates each year.

New Features Bring New Bugs

As a general rule, these bi-annual updates are where any significant new features are added. The idea is that once a user has Windows 10, they will get new features indefinitely, though gradually PCs running outdated versions of Windows 10 won't get the latest updates.

The problem is that some recent major updates have not only had bugs and compatibility problems, but have sparked off a vicious cycle where Microsoft issues a "one-off" patch to fix said problems only to introduce new bugs that necessitate another patch, and so on.

After an update this fall, the next major update was originally expected in April or May 2021. That's now been officially delayed in order to avoid clashing with Microsoft releasing Windows 10X, a special version of the system designed for dual-screen devices.

Annual Updates The New Model

However, inside sources suggest the April/May update won't just be delayed, but will instead be the only such big update for Windows 10 in 2021. The naming of specific updates may get a little confusing, but the key point is that "one big update a year" could become the norm. (Source: windowslatest.com)

One possible explanation for such a shift is that working on two major updates to Windows 10 each year and then adding in either one or two major updates to Windows 10X could simply mean too much work for Microsoft.

However, another benefit would be that having a full 12-months between major Windows 10 updates could allow a longer period to test the update on a wide range of "real world" computers with as many different components, drivers and software combinations as possible. (Source: express.co.uk)

What's Your Opinion?

Would you be happy with only one major update a year? Would you take the option to not have any new features on Windows but instead just get security and performance fixes? Overall, do you prefer the Windows 10 update system to the old model of a new version of Windows every few years?