by Martin Brinkmann on March 29, 2019 in Windows – 13 comments
Microsoft revealed yesterday that the company’s current version of Windows 10, version 1809, is designated for broad deployment.
In other words, Windows 10 version 1809’s servicing option is now Semi-Annual Channel. Microsoft will stop using the term from Windows 10 version 1903 onward.
Windows 10 feature updates are released twice a year via the Semi-Annual Channel Target. Then, after a couple of months, they are deemed ready for broad deployment and Microsoft announced that by changing the servicing option of the update to Semi-Annual Channel.
If you are cynical, you might say that millions of home Microsoft customers have tested the new version of Windows 10 long enough for it to become Enterprise- and business-ready.
Microsoft updated the Windows 10 release information page to highlight the change. The full rollout of the update started last week.
Windows 10 version 1809 has been a problematic update, probably the most problematic feature update since the release of Windows 10 in 2015.
Microsoft had to pause the update deployment because of serious bugs and issues. While those initial bugs were resolved by Microsoft, a look at the most recent update for Windows 10 version 1809 shows five known issues:
- Internet Explorer authentication issue
- Audio output issues.
- MSXML6 may cause applications to stop responding.
- Custom URI handles for applications may not load the corresponding application.
- Preboot execution environment issues.
Companies and home users don’t need to upgrade the operating system to a new version when Microsoft releases it or confirms that it is ready for broad deployment. Previous versions continue to be supported for months; the next versions to fall out of support are Windows 10 version 1709 on the Consumer side, and Windows 10 version 1607 on the Enterprise side (both in April 2019).
Why did Microsoft make the announcement at this point? Woody Leonard’s theory is that Microsoft had to do so before the release of Windows 10 version 1903. It would not really look that good if the company would release Windows 10 version 1903 without confirming to its Enterprise and business customers that Windows 10 version 1809 was ready for deployment.
Microsoft has yet to release the second March cumulative update for Windows 10 version 1809; it released cumulative updates for all other supported versions of Windows 10 already.
Microsoft is expected to make a RTM announcement for the next feature update version of Windows 10, Windows 10 version 1903, very soon. A release in April 2019 seems the most likely scenario at this point in time.
Now You: Did you upgrade to Windows 10 version 1809 already?