Microsoft unveils Windows 365 — ushering in a new category of computing

Microsoft Corporation has announced Windows 365 – a cloud service that introduces a new way to experience Windows 10 or Windows 11 to businesses of all sizes. Windows 365 takes the operating system to the Microsoft Cloud, streaming the full Windows experience – apps, data, and settings – to personal or corporate devices. Secure by design and built with the principles of Zero Trust, Windows 365 secures and stores information in the cloud, not on the device, providing a secure, productive experience for workers from interns and contractors to software developers and industrial designers. Windows 365 also creates a new hybrid personal computing category called Cloud PC, which uses both the power of the cloud and the capabilities of the device to provide a full, personalized Windows experience. The announcement represents a groundbreaking development as organizations around the world grapple with the best ways to facilitate hybrid work models where employees are both on-site and distributed across the globe.

“With Windows 365, we’re creating a new category: the Cloud PC,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “Just like applications were brought to the cloud with SaaS, we are now bringing the operating system to the cloud, providing organizations with greater flexibility and a secure way to empower their workforce to be more productive and connected, regardless of location.”

A new computing paradigm for hybrid work

A new way of working is emerging and employees need access to corporate resources across locations and devices — and with cybersecurity threats on the rise, securing those resources is paramount. 

“Hybrid work has fundamentally changed the role of technology in organizations today,” said Jared Spataro, corporate vice president, Microsoft 365. “With workforces more disparate than ever before, organizations need a new way to deliver a great productivity experience with increased versatility, simplicity, and security. Cloud PC is an exciting, new category of hybrid personal computing that turns any device into a personalized, productive, and secure digital workspace. Today’s announcement of Windows 365 is just the beginning of what will be possible as we blur the lines between the device and the cloud.”

Windows 365 helps employers solve challenges they’ve faced since long before the pandemic. Workers expect greater flexibility and more options to work from different locations, while still ensuring the security of the organization’s data. Seasonal workers can cycle on and off teams without the logistical challenges of issuing new hardware or securing personal devices — allowing the organization to scale for busy periods more efficiently and securely. And companies can easily ensure specialized workers in creative, analytics, engineering or scientific roles have greater compute power and secure access to critical applications that they need. 

Versatile, simple, secure: the transformational impact of Windows 365

Windows 365 gives any organization greater peace of mind in three key ways:

• Powerful. With instant-on boot to their personal Cloud PC, users can stream all their applications, tools, data, and settings from the cloud across any device. Windows 365 provides the full PC experience in the cloud. 

• Simple. With a Cloud PC, users can log in and pick back up where they left off across devices, providing a simple and familiar Windows experience delivered by the cloud. For IT, Windows 365 also simplifies deployment, updates, and management — and unlike other solutions, Windows 365 doesn’t require any virtualization experience. Small and mid-size businesses can purchase Windows 365 directly or through a cloud service provider, and set-up their organization with Cloud PCs with just a few clicks. 

• Secure. Windows 365 is secure by design, leveraging the power of the cloud and the principles of Zero Trust. Information is secured and stored in the cloud, not on the device. Always up to date and building on the strength of rich Microsoft security capabilities and baselines, Windows 365 simplifies security and recommends the best security settings for the environment at hand.