Microsoft puts PCs in the cloud with Windows 365

Microsoft is putting Windows in the cloud. Windows 365 is a new service that will let businesses access Cloud PCs from anywhere, streaming a version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 in a web browser. While virtualization and remote access to PCs has existed for more than a decade, Microsoft is betting on Windows 365 to offer Cloud PCs to businesses just as they shift toward a mix of office and remote work.

Windows 365 will work on any modern web browser or through Microsoft’s Remote Desktop app, allowing users to access their Cloud PC from a variety of devices. “Windows 365 provides an instant-on boot experience,” according to Wangui McKelvey, a general manager for Microsoft 365. This instant access lets workers stream their Windows session with all of their same apps, tools, data, and settings across Macs, iPads, Linux machines, and Android devices.

Windows 365 will only be available for businesses when it initially launches on August 2nd, with a per-user monthly subscription cost. When Microsoft announced its new Windows 365 service the company said it wouldn’t discuss pricing options until the Cloud PCs launch on August 2nd. Now, Microsoft has inadvertently revealed one pricing option, allowing businesses to use a virtual Windows PC in the cloud for $31 per user, per month.

The pricing option was revealed during a Microsoft Inspire session, as the company demonstrated how businesses can sign up for the service. For the $31 monthly subscription, Microsoft offers two CPUs, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. This is part of the Windows 365 Business option, designed for businesses with fewer than 300 users.

Technically, Microsoft offering Windows in the cloud isn’t much different from the myriad of choices available for virtualization right now. Microsoft has already offered similar technology with Azure Virtual Desktop, and Citrix has been offering cloud-hosted desktop PCs for years. Where Microsoft is trying to differentiate is in both ease of use and management. Windows 365 is really going to make a huge difference for organizations that wanted to try virtualization for various reasons but could not — maybe it was too costly, too complex or they didn’t have the expertise in-house to do it.

While Windows 365 seems perfectly timed for businesses looking to tackle the complexities of remote work, Microsoft has been working on the service for years. The operating systems group at Microsoft had been working on a project codenamed “Arcadia,” a service to stream video games from the cloud. Arcadia dates all the way back to Microsoft demonstrating Halo running on a Windows Phone in 2013.

Thanks to The Verge for this info
For additional information visit: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-365