Microsoft is building a new desktop-as-a-service offering built on top of Windows Virtual Desktop that could launch as soon as 2021.
Credit: ZDNet
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For years, many of us Microsoft watchers have expected Microsoft to create a true virtualized Windows PC experience. Well, it’s happening, likely as soon as spring 2021.
Microsoft is currently calling the coming virtualization service “Cloud PC.” Cloud PC won’t replace locally installed Windows (and Office) — for the foreseeable future, anyway. It will be an option for customers who want to use their own Windows PCs made by Microsoft and/or other PC makers basically like thin clients, with Windows, Office and potentially other software delivered virtually by Microsoft.
I found a job description posted June 5 for a program manager for Microsoft’s Cloud PC team on the company’s careers site. The description of Cloud PC isn’t super-detailed — or surprising to anyone following Microsoft’s virtualization strategy.
“Microsoft Cloud PC is a strategic, new offering that is built on top of Windows Virtual Desktop to delivering Desktop as a Service. At its core, Cloud PC provides business customers a modern, elastic, cloud-based Windows experience and will allow organizations to stay current in a more simplistic and scalable manner,” the job description says.
Microsoft is planning to make Cloud PC a Microsoft-365-powered experience that is managed by Microsoft and sold for a flat per user price, the job description says. This pricing piece is key. Windows Virtual Desktop pricing revolves around Azure consumption. Cloud PC sounds like it will be available for a set subscription fee.
Microsoft had dropped a few hints recently that it was looking to create some kind of virtualized PC management experience. In February, Scott Manchester, who had been Group Program Manager for Windows Virtual Desktop, took on a new role as Group Program Manager for “Cloud Managed Desktops.” I’m guessing that this team, along with Windows engineering, are the ones honing the Cloud PC vision and deliverables.
The biggest question here is when will Microsoft introduce its Cloud PC service/offering. I’m hearing this could happen as early as next spring, but Microsoft officials would not talk about Cloud PC at all and provided the “Microsoft will not comment on rumors and speculation” boiler-plate answer to my query.
If the concept of a Microsoft-managed Cloud PC sounds familiar in some ways, it’s not surprising.
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