Microsoft drops fresh details about upcoming Windows 10 PC-as-a-Service

Windows 10
(Image credit: Microsoft)

The way in which you and your organization use Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system could be about to change completely as the software giant has been secretly working on developing a new PC-as-a-Service offering.

Up until now users have purchased new devices with the company's operating system pre-installed or installed it themselves after building a new PC. However, the new direction Microsoft appears to be moving in will see the company distribute its operating system and apps as a SaaS offering over the cloud.

In a now removed job posting for a program manager for the company's Cloud PC team, Microsoft provided further insight on its upcoming PC-as-a-Service offering, saying:

"Microsoft Cloud PC is a strategic, new offering that is built on top of Windows Virtual Desktop to delivering Desktop as a Service. At its core, Cloud PC provides business customers a modern, elastic, cloud-based Windows experience and will allow organizations to stay current in a more simplistic and scalable manner." 

PC-as-a-Service

According to a series of new support documents from Microsoft, the company has revealed that Cloud PC is currently being tested in the wild. The software giant is now in the process of adding Cloud PC APIs to Microsoft Graph.

We've also learned that Microsoft will offer several “service plans” for its customers to choose from that will provide them with access to different hardware configurations. 

According to Windows Latest, the medium configuration will include 2 vCPUs, 4GB of RAM and a 96GB SSD while the heavy configuration will be powered by 2 vCPUs, 8GB of RAM and a 96GB SSD. More demanding users though will be able to upgrade to the advanced configuration which includes 3 vCPUs and 8GB of RAM.

Microsoft's Cloud PC service will be optimized for general-purpose personal computing, speed and performance while on the business end, the company will focus on scalability and data processing.

When Microsoft's PC-as-a-Service offering launches sometime later this year, users will be able to access their Cloud PC from any device capable of running the Microsoft Remote Desktop client.

Via Windows Latest

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.