As rumors circulate about a “Windows 12” release for next year, Microsoft confirmed and appointed a new Windows 11 23H2 update scheduled for Q4 2023.
Microsoft hasn’t yet revealed what’s inside, but the company has many unreleased features in its beta testing pipeline that could be included. One of the big new entries is Windows Copilot, which takes the GPT generative AI technology used in Bing and Microsoft (Office) 365 and gives users an OS-wide personal assistant – and is now available for testing.
The new Windows 11 23H2 upgrade works by pre-downloading to systems running the current version, 22H2, but remains dormant until Microsoft is ready for release. Then a small activation package known as an eKB will function as a master switch that simply enables the new features and publishes the new operating system version number.
Microsoft has previously taken the same stealthy upgrade approach with Windows 10, going as far back as an upgrade from version 1903 to 1909 – almost four years ago. The main advantage of the activation package approach is that both the outgoing and incoming versions have matching code bases. This means IT departments working with entire organizations and individuals with mission-critical software or drivers have less to worry about something breaking after the upgrade.
IT departments in particular can go ahead and roll out the current Windows 11 22H2 along with monthly updates. Later this year, system administrators can simply enable 23H2 with Windows Server, Update for Business or Autopatch and go home.
In addition to the 23H2 release, Microsoft is also announcing a new Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) version of Windows 11 for the “second half of 2024”. Windows LTSC versions are good for computers with special use cases such as running a facility’s HVAC system and allow them to continue to receive security patches but none of the new features.
Microsoft reportedly went back to a three-year release schedule for the operating system after treating Windows 10 as a service with the intention that it would be the “last version” of the operating system. That change would mean a new Windows coming in 2024, so enjoy what could be the last major Windows 11 feature update – and pray it has that 3D shaded emoji.
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