Windows 10 S could be the default mode for future Windows 10 PCs

For many people, the future of Windows 10 could begin with Windows 10 S.

A leaked document, revealed by Thurrott.com, suggests that Microsoft wants Windows 10 S to be the first version of Windows 10 seen by buyers of new Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro PCs. Windows 10 S and Windows 10 are reportedly being fused together, so that Windows 10 S becomes a “mode” of Windows 10.

Windows 10 S only allows UWP apps to be loaded from the Windows Store, locking out traditional Win32 .EXE files. (Thurrott.com noted, however, that these versions of Windows 10 S will apparently support third-party antivirus software, which traditionally runs as legacy .EXE versions.)
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This doesn’t mean Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro will go away, or that PC makers won’t be able to switch the operating system mode themselves. Most users will have the opportunity to switch to full Windows 10 for free. Consumers who wish to upgrade from Windows 10 S Pro to Windows 10 Pro will be charged $49, Thurrott.com reported. However, the leaked document suggests that a majority of users won’t bother switching, creating an ever-larger customer base for the UWP apps in Microsoft's store online.

The leaked document also offered an intriguing view into how Microsoft prices Windows 10 for different tiers of device. The document defines a hierarchy of device configurations—Entry, Value, Core, Core+, and Advanced—each with their own hardware specifications and Windows pricing. Microsoft defines “Core+” PC, for example, as a desktop machine with less than 8GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage. For such PCs, Microsoft charges $86.66 for Windows 10. For an “Advanced” PC with hardware like a Core i7 plus 16GB of memory, Microsoft charges $101 for Windows 10. The price changes go into effect April 2, with the exception of Windows 10 Home for the Advanced tier, which launches May 1, Thurrott.com reported.

:story: PCWorld