A New Microsoft OS Has Appeared

Microsoft may have given up on mobile operating systems but they are still pushing hard to fight against ChromeOS for portable computers. References to LiteOS have appeared in code published by Microsoft, signalling another shift in the company’s mobile software aspirations.

Ever since Microsoft released Windows RT, it has struggled to create a low-overhead version of Windows that balanced the company’s deisre to produce a version of Windows that appeals to users and works on lower-cost devices using different processor platforms. Windows 10S looked like it had a chance but it never really gained any traction and was renamed “Windows10 is S Mode” and there’s any easy path to upgrade to a fuller Windows 10 experience.

While Windows10 is S Mode works just fine for many users, the limitations it imposes frustraste users. Interestingly, when I Google “Windows10 is S Mode”, the first result I get is how to upgrade to a fuller version of WIndows.

LiteOS will require an internet connection to function – that’s about all that could be gleaned from the discovery by Twitter user WalkingCat.

UseWebStartOfflineFallback ???? https://t.co/4FlpGTONgH

— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) March 7, 2019

Microsoft’s massive base of installed users, built over decades, has a lot of trust in Windows. And that’s proven to be a great advantage to the company as they have pivoted under Satya Nadella’s leadership to become more open about how it supports competitors and embraces cloud services. But it also makes the path for an alternative OS extremely challenging.

Whether LiteOS is a real Windows alternative or not remains to be seen. But the real challenge for Microsoft isn’t about the ability to make an alternative but whether they can sell it.

[Source: MS PowerUser]