Windows 10 S will no longer exist as a separate operating system, Microsoft has confirmed. Instead, the Redmond technology company will incorporate the functionality into a mode within its standard Windows 10 operating system.
The feature dubbed S Mode leaked online last month.
However, Microsoft Vice President of Operating Systems Joe Belfiore confirmed the news in a tweet today. “Next year 10S will be a ‘mode’ of existing versions, not a distinct version,” he posted.
According to the Express, Microsoft launched its Windows 10 S operating system last year alongside its Surface Laptop hardware. Windows 10 S was a stripped back version of the full operating system targeted primarily at the education market to compete with ChromeOS.
In Windows 10 S, users are only allowed to install software from the Windows 10 Store. Microsoft argues this makes its operating system more secure, since everything in the official Store has been vetted by the company.
Windows 10 S also improved battery life on some hardware, like the Surface Laptop.
These same restrictions will be bundled with the all-new S Mode feature, which will be available in Windows 10 Home, Enterprise, and Pro versions of the operating system.
Previous rumours suggested Microsoft would allow Windows 10 Home users to disable S Mode free of charge, while Windows 10 Pro customers with S Mode enabled would have to pay $49, some £35 converted.
Microsoft hasn’t addressed pricing for its new S Mode since these new feature isn’t scheduled to ship until 2019, so it’s likely those details haven’t been finalised inside the company just yet.
Users already running Windows 10 will purportedly be unaffected by the changes when they roll-out next year.
