Microsoft could be working on an AI-powered Windows to rival Chrome OS
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Microsoftis reportedly working on a new version of its ever-successful Windowsoperating system- but we’re not talking aboutWindows 12, no sir. Instead, this is ‘CorePC’, a new project from Microsoft designed to take on Google’s ultra-efficient Chrome OS.
That’s according to the good folks at our sister siteWindows Central, whose sources claim the idea is to create a modular iteration of Windows, which Microsoft could then tweak and customize into different ‘editions’ that better suit specific hardware. This new version of Windows would be less resource-intensive than previously, hopefully.
CorePC (bear in mind this is a codename, and will likely not be the name of the finished OS) is rumored to also have one more trick up its sleeve: AI. Of course it’s AI - we shouldn’t be shocked, given Microsoft’s current hyperfixation on shoving popularchatbotChatGPTinto everything from theMicrosoft 365suite to theBing search engine. Details are thin on what exactly artificial intelligence will bring to the table here, but it’s claimed to be a focus of the CorePC project.
Opinion: This could actually be really good - if Microsoft stays the course
Though this is no more than a rumor at this stage, it makes a lot of sense. For starters, this wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft had experimented with building a lightweight version of Windows.
The Windows 10X program, for instance, was supposed to be a stripped-back version ofWindows 10that cut down on features in favor of faster operation and better system security. Unfortunately for us, it was eventually canceled in 2021 and the OS never made it to our devices. There was alsoWindows Lite, a 2018 effort to build a lightweight Windows, which also never really saw the ‘lite’ of day.
I genuinely hope that CorePC doesn’t meet the same fate; the idea of a low-system-requirement version of Windows is an attractive one right now, with Chrome OS slowly encroaching in the budget hardware space. Hell, half of the products on ourbest cheap laptopslist are Chromebooks at this point, and I’m a lifelong Windows devotee - I even owned a Windows phone back in the heady days of 2015 (this one, for anyone interested).
If the CorePC project specifically has the aim of creating a modernized version of Windows that can be easily adjusted to run smoothly on any device, that would be welcome. While I don’t think it will lead to the glorious return of Windows phones (a man can dream though, right?), it’d be great to see Chromebook-esqueWindows laptopsandtablets.
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What exactly can we expect from CorePC?
Digging into the details a bit, it seems that Microsoft has an internal version of CorePC Windows already in testing. It’s barebones, running only the Edge browser withBingAI, the Microsoft 365 suite, and Android apps - similar to how Chrome OS got access to apps from theGoogle Play Storeback in 2016. This version of Windows is designed for super-affordable PCs and laptops designed to be used in educational environments.
That might not sound very exciting, but here’s the good part: this test build supposedly uses as much as 75% less storage space thanWindows 11and uses a split-partition install process that allows for faster updates, safer system resets, and better security thanks to dedicated read-only partitions the user (or any third-party apps) can’t access. It’s unclear at this point whether this new version runs on a conventional 64-bit structure or if it’s a more limitedARM-based build.
Considering that Windows 11 already uses between 20 and 30 gigabytes of storage space andWindows 12looks to bejacking up the system requirements even further, the idea of a super-compact Windows edition is quite attractive - especially for use cases in education and enterprise spaces, where security is vital and a limited feature set won’t be a hurdle to everyday usage.
We’ve already seen Windows 11 scaled down for low-end hardware in the unofficial‘Tiny11’OS, so it’s not entirely surprising that Windows is seemingly working on an official version. Though there’s no projected release date, speculation points to 2024 so the release can coincide with the expected launch of Windows 12. In any case, I’ve got my fingers crossed!
Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.
Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.
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