Microsoft has begun rolling out the latest version of its Windows 10 software, in line with its new model of Windows as a service.
The Anniversary Update brings new features to the operating system, including a more expanded role for Cortana, the roll out of Windows Hello to sign in to apps and websites, and some strengthened security features.
The updates software includes a more power-efficient Edge browser – the replacement for Internet Explorer in Windows 10 – and integration with the Xbox One games console. For those who use a pen with their touchscreen devices, Windows 10 now includes tools such as a sketch pad and note-taking ability, with the introduction of Windows Ink.
The company said before it launched Windows 10 that it would be “Windows as a service”, meaning it would keep the software updated in the background, tweaking it as it goes along instead of having a major product launch every few years.
Ambitious target
Microsoft previously announced its ambition of having one billion machines running Windows 10 within three years of launch. However, it looks unlikely that it will reach that goal, with the company admitting at its Build conference earlier this year that it would likely miss that ambitious target.
There are currently more than 350 million devices running Windows 10, although that figure may have seen a bump in recent months as the free upgrade period drew to a close at the end of July.
But the tech giant has also run into some difficulty with the new software. In France, it was ordered by the data protection authorities to stop collecting excessive data on its users and serving up personalised ads without consent. It has been given three months from late July to comply or face sanctions.
Windows 10 has also been the subject of legal action in the US, where a woman took a case against the company over a Windows 10 update that she said left her computer unusable and constantly crashing. She was awarded $10,000 in compensation by the courts.
It’s not the only case. The company is also facing court action over the manner in which it offered the upgrade. Complaints surfaced over the pop-up box that offered the upgrade; clicking the red cross accepted the update instead of rejecting it as users expected. Microsoft changed the pop-up window, saying it may have been confusing for some consumers.
