Microsoft has finally acknowledged the next Windows 10 update, version 21H1, publicly. The company has adopted a twice-a-year release cadence for its Windows 10 feature updates for a while now, but it"s been unusually quiet about the update we"d expect this spring. Now, it has finally shown up in a blog post on the Tech Community forums, and it seems like it will be a pretty small update.
The post is about the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program, and the changes that version 21H1 will bring - or rather, the changes it won"t. The blog post is nearly a carbon copy of the post for version 20H2, and it confirms that no changes are being made to hardware certification. All the same requirements and rules that applied to Windows 10 version 2004 a year ago remain the same for both of the versions that follow it.
Of course, that"s because Microsoft is releasing Windows 10X this spring, and that will be the big focus for now. The next big update for regular Windows 10 has been expected to land in the fall - with some major changes expected - but until now, Microsoft itself hadn"t given any indication as to whether a spring update would come out at all for Windows 10, or if it would simply be a small update like version 20H2. It"s not surprising that version 21H1 does exist, but it"s good to see Microsoft finally acknowledge it.
Windows 10X itself has been almost unheard of in any official manner since last year. About a month ago, a near-final build of the operating system leaked online, giving us a look at what to expect, but Microsoft has failed to acknowledge it in any way. The Redmond giant is planning to hold its Ignite conference in early March, though, and we may finally hear more about its plans at the event.