What you need to know
- Microsoft launches the “Windows App” for iOS and the web, allowing users to access a Windows PC in the cloud from anywhere.
- The app is now available in preview and allows you to connect a Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop or Microsoft Dev Box PC.
- Could this app be a stepping stone to a consumer version of Windows 365?
READ MORE FROM IGNITE 2023
Microsoft today announced a new “Windows App” for iOS, the web, and Windows that lets you connect to all your remote Windows PCs, wherever you are. Announced at Ignite 2023 and now available in preview, the app allows users to connect to a Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Microsoft Dev Box, or a personal Remote Desktop PC.
Not much else has been revealed about the app, but the screenshot provided by the company shows that the app will be able to display cloud PCs in addition to individual apps, which likely means users will be able to access apps running on the cloud directly from Windows PCs are installed. app launcher.
Strangely, Microsoft says the app is only available on iOS, Windows and the web, but the screenshot shown is clearly of the app running on an Android tablet. The Android app may come later.
In addition to the Windows app, Microsoft announced several improvements to the Windows 365 service, including support for GPUs, new AI capabilities, Cloud PC watermarks, and more.
A basis for the consumer version of Windows 365?
Right now, all of Microsoft’s cloud PC offerings are aimed squarely at business customers, with consumers currently having no options to subscribe to a Windows PC in the cloud. However, we know that at some point Microsoft wants to position Windows in the cloud as a consumer product. Could the Windows app be a first step towards this goal?
When you think about it, the idea of a Windows app for iOS and Android makes perfect sense if the goal is to move Windows to the cloud for everyone. Now that the Windows app exists, Microsoft can launch a consumer version of Windows 365 and allow anyone to subscribe to a Windows PC in the cloud, accessible regardless of whether they have a Windows, iOS, or Android device.
