Windows 10 Update Schedule Could Change

John Lister's picture

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 The idea is that once a user has Windows 10, they will get new features indefinitely, though gradually PCs running outdated versions of Windows 10 won't get the latest updates.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?

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Comments

Navy vet's picture

The less updates, the better, since most updates usually require some troubleshooting. I'd be fine with monthly security patches.

gi7omy's picture

Try full update every 10 days or so in the Fast ring LOL

nospam_5346's picture

I opt for security updates only as I don’t use the features I currently have and don’t need more features I am not going to use. I haven’t found one Windows 10 feature I currently use. And at least one feature I previously used in Windows 7 was removed in Windows 10 making it less useful to me.

Make feature updates optional. I wouldn’t mind driver updates.

buzzallnight's picture

only be one version that would work on everything, computers, tablets, touch screens, game consoles....

So much for that idea.....

Since Win 10 has been out over 5 years without a total redo and it sucks doggie do
using the M$ naming convention of skipping the odd number after a total failure
the release next year should be Win 12, software that is not a service and
NOT FULL OF BUGS!!!!!!!!!

Every single feature should be able to be shut off and removed easily.
Instead of a whole set of new ICONs which you know they are working on now
it should include as options the
Win 7
XP
and 98 user interfaces!!!!!!!!!
Call it the welcome back to windows we will stop screwing with you now version.

rebrich's picture

I only received the 2004 update on August 25 and since then my computer freezes randomly and without any way to restart except to hold down the power button. I'd much prefer security and bug fixes one time a month and a well-tested yearly update, preferable one that actually works.

jcgrande's picture

I received my Win 10 2004 update which appeared to download normally but for the first time this MS update completely blew up my desktop computer. It would only boot-up to the initial screen and disabled my wireless mouse and keyboard so I could not get to the sign on screen. Despite my efforts couldn’t get anything done so I have taken it to the local computer repair to have a SSD installed with a clean Win 10 installed and hope to be able to access my original HDD.

russoule's picture

Microsoft issues this stuff as "updates", but it is really NEW software in competition with Android. If Microsoft were to do it like Android and update EVERYTHING on a system, it might make sense from a security point of view. But just like Android, the updates are only partially security oriented and mostly "Try THIS! It's a new great blah,blah,blah".

Like other posters here, I rarely use any of the so-called "improvements" that come with an "update", but rely on my actual software that has been in use for a few years. For instance, why would MS force my system to have the capability of 3D printing,viewing,creating if I don't want it and haven't requested it? The XBox software is the same thing. I will never use an XBox in the future at all and I resent having to eliminate the darn software every time a "new update" is forced on me.

Get rid of the extraneous junk, Microsoft. THAT would be the best update you could devise.