Bowden, well known for his accurate early reporting on early and unreleased Windows features, said Microsoft was working on a project dubbed CorePC, a modular and customisable variant of Windows that will be compatible with various devices.<\/p>\n
CorePC is expected to be the underlying architecture for Windows 12, codenamed “Hudson Valley”.<\/p>\n
The big distinction between CorePC and existing Windows architecture is that it will be state separated.<\/p>\n
State separation allows quicker updates and better security through read-only partitions that users and third-party apps cannot access. This is similar to how Android and iPadOS function.<\/p>\n
In contrast, existing versions of Windows write all data \u2014 including system files, user documents, and application files \u2014 to a single writable partition.<\/p>\n
Microsoft previously worked on a state-separated architecture with Windows 10X for dual-screen devices, part of a now-cancelled project called Core OS.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Windows 10X<\/p><\/div>\n
Whereas that initiative focused on building a lightweight version of Windows from the ground up, CorePC is stripping Windows down to its core functions \u2014 with various levels of features designed for specific use cases.<\/p>\n
Bowden said his sources argued that this version of Windows could truly compete with ChromeOS regarding storage capacity, performance, and efficiency.<\/p>\n
One version of CorePC designed for basic education computers can only run the Edge browser, web and Android apps, and the Office suite \u2014 and is currently in testing.<\/p>\n
Another iteration will support Windows’ complete set of features but with state separation enabled.<\/p>\n
For older apps that require a shared state OS, Microsoft is developing a compatibility layer dubbed Neon.<\/p>\n
Taking a cue from Apple, Microsoft is also testing a CorePC variant that Bowden described as “silicon-optimised”.<\/p>\n
It focuses on reducing legacy overhead, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, and vertically-optimised hardware and software experiences.<\/p>\n
Among the AI capabilities currently under development include a feature allowing Windows to analyse content being displayed and provide contextual prompts to launch projects or apps based on that information quickly.<\/p>\n
In addition, the AI could identify subjects in pictures and allow users to cut and paste them for use elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Windows 12 is expected to be launched in 2024, but it remains to be seen whether it will ship with CorePC as its underlying architecture.<\/p>\n
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