Just a day after Microsoft leaked the news on the Microsoft News Center, the company has confirmed today in a blog post that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update will be available on August 2. This will be a free update for all current Windows 10 users, and Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Windows and Devices Group Yusuf Mehdi shared today that there are now over 350 million devices now running Windows 10.
If you did not read our previous stories about the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the free upgrade will bring major improvements for consumers and enterprises in six different areas:
- Additional security features with Windows Hello for apps and websites, an improved Windows Defender and the addition of Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection and Windows Information Protection for enterprises.
- Windows Ink, which is a dedicated user experience for Windows 10 devices with touch screens and styluses.
- An improved digital assistant as Cortana will now be available above the lockscreen and also get some proactive powers.
- A faster, more accessible and more power-efficient Microsoft Edge browser which will also support extensions.
- New gaming experiences with a unified Windows Store that will include Xbox One games, and the Xbox Play Anywhere program will also allow gamers to buy a game on the Xbox One and continue playing on their Windows 10 PC with shared progress and achievements.
- New tools for the modern classroom including faster and easier deployment as well as new features for educators.
If you have yet to upgrade your PC to Windows 10, you can do so before July 29. After that date, the upgrade will cost you $119 for the Windows 10 Home version or $199 for the Windows 10 Pro version. Lastly, Microsoft has also announced special offers for students in the US: for a limited time, students can save $300 when they purchase an Xbox One and Surface at a Microsoft Store, which means that Microsoft will give them an Xbox One for free. For students not interested in this offer, Microsoft is also offering a free TV along the purchase of a Dell PC over $699. You can get more details about these back to school offers over here. Are you excited by the upcoming release of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
