In the last few hours, new information has appeared about Windows 12 that indicate a change in the business model of the Microsoft operating system thanks to a series of internal changes that exist. What does it consist on? How will it affect the user on foot? Will we have to pay for features that were previously free or, on the contrary, is everything an exaggeration?
What has been talked about the most about Windows 12 is the inclusion of AI-related features. However, they are not the only changes to highlight, since the next version of the most used operating system could bring with it a series of improvements in the way of using the operating system, which, although minor at first glance, can change the way with which we interact with the operating system.
Windows 12 will be a modular operating system
Until now Windows had been a monolithic block in terms of its functions and characteristics, however, in Redmond different levels of complexity are being considered according to the user’s needs. For example, let’s say you have a laptop with low consumption and power, the only thing you will need is support for the Edge browser, web applications, Android and Office support, the rest of the elements will not be necessary, so that you can opt for a much lighter installation compared to a gaming PC for example.
Today this is achieved with custom installations that remove extras that are included in the installation of Windows 10 and 11, but are not part of the base operating system. The advantages of this? Not only taking up less PC storage, but having a lower impact on RAM memory and also on the processor by reducing the load of background tasks. These proposed changes will allow us to do things like have an operating system with only what is necessary for games, for example.
Well, Microsoft would be thinking of applying this idea under the name of CorePC in its next version of the operating system. So we can finally do without everything we don’t need without having to depend on external programs and we won’t see PC resources wasted on superfluous tasks.
Some functions could be under paid subscription
However, this opens the ban for certain features of Windows 12 to depend on an associated subscription or purchase separately from them for a small payment. Let’s not forget that Microsoft with things like Game Pass and Office 365 have made the subscription model totally viable for them. We do not believe that the functions for the common user will end up under a payment of this type, but those that have business use, especially those related to data security.
A new way to manage background tasks
One of the most important changes that we will see will be the change in the Windows scheduler, that is, the part of the operating system that is in charge of managing the different processes to be executed. One of the things we’re going to see is that low-resource processes are treated separately, allowing them to be handled by low-performing kernels, and thus run in isolation from the main operating system and fully encapsulated.
This is nothing more than the VBS application that we have already seen in Windows 10 and 11, but taken to an additional extreme. In reality we will have two instances of Windows running at the same time, one for the foreground tasks that will be executed in the high-performance cores and another for the background processes. Each of them will work in their own protected environment, however, this allows you to do things like update the operating system and drivers in the background while you’re working without having to restart your PC or waiting for several minutes.
At the moment, the expected date for Windows 12 is 2024, although there may be some delay. What do you think of these small changes?
