Today marks an exciting day, Windows for IoT is releasing the newest member of its product family, Windows 11 IoT Enterprise. After recently shipping Windows Server IoT 2022, Windows 11 IoT Enterprise marks the ongoing commitment from Microsoft to deliver innovation and new functionality to the IoT market.
In February, it was announced that there will be a release of Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC in the second half (H2) of the calendar year 2021. In that announcement, it was communicated that the client edition, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC, will change its servicing from a 10-year to a 5-year support lifecycle, aligning with the changes to the next perpetual version of Microsoft Office. We also stated that Windows 10 IoT Enterprise will maintain its 10-year support lifecycle with this upcoming 21H2 release.
These commitments remain firm with this Windows 11 IoT Enterprise release and we are on track to release an LTSC version of Windows 10 IoT Enterprise soon with a 10-year support lifecycle. Today's Windows 11 IoT Enterprise release is not an LTSC release and instead will have a servicing timeline of 36 months from the month of the release as described in the product lifecycle documentation.
What is new?
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise will deliver new features and functionality that will enable the Windows for IoT ecosystem to build innovative and modern devices.
Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI
With Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, customers will be able to take advantage of the highly anticipated feature, Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI (WSLg), which brings Linux GUI applications to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
Today, WSL lets you run a Linux environment, and up until this point has focused on enabling command-line tools, utilities, and applications. GUI app support enables you to now use your favorite Linux GUI applications with WSL. WSL is used in a wide variety of applications, workloads, and use cases. To learn more, check out the announcement and blog.
USB 4.0
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise brings support to Universal Serial Bus 4 (USB4). To learn more, please review the feature documentation.
Wi-Fi 6E
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise brings Wi-Fi 6E support to IoT devices. Wi-Fi 6E gives you better wireless coverage and performance with added security. Review Windows 11 Specifications for more information.
Newly Designed Modern Interface
One of the most exciting features of the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise operating system is the new user interface. The new design and sounds are modern, fresh, clean, and beautiful, bringing you a sense of calm and ease. To learn more about the enhanced UI, check out this Windows Experience Blog which walks you through all the new and exciting improvements and capabilities.
Building more accessible IoT devices
“Accessible technology is a fundamental building block that can unlock opportunities in every part of society. A more accessible Windows experience has the power to help tackle the “disability divide” — to contribute to more education and employment opportunities for people with disabilities across the world.”
Jeff Petty – Windows Accessibility Leader
Windows is 11 the most inclusively designed version of Windows with new accessibility improvements that were built for and by people with disabilities, allowing device manufacturers to develop, design, and deploy IoT devices that make it easier for people with disabilities to interact with and use their devices.
Moving forward
Microsoft continues to address the unique needs of the IoT industry by offering Windows for IoT Enterprise LTSC and the Long Term Servicing Channel of Windows Server, which today is Windows Server IoT 2022. Each of these products will continue to have a 10-year support lifecycle, as documented on our product lifecycle datasheet.
We remain committed to the ongoing success of Windows for IoT, which is deployed on millions of intelligent-edge solutions around the world. Industries such as manufacturing, retail, medical equipment, and public safety choose Windows for IoT to power their edge devices. There are many benefits of developing on the platform. These benefits include creating locked-down, interactive user experiences with natural input, providing world-class security, enterprise-grade device management, and allowing customers and partners to build solutions that are made to last. To learn more about how to get started with Windows for IoT, visit the developer experience website, Windows on Devices.
Lastly, we would like to invite you to join us at the Windows for IoT Launch Summit on Tuesday, October 19th, 2021. We will be talking in detail about topics such as features and functionalities in the upcoming release, IoT device security, and how you can bring intelligence to the edge with Windows for IoT. This virtual event is open to anyone and will be repeated twice to accommodate our global time zones. The event is free to attend – and we hope to see you there!
Session 1: 7 AM PDT, register: https://aka.ms/WinIoTLaunchSummit
Session 2: 6 PM PDT, register: https://aka.ms/WinIoTLaunchSummitAPAC
To keep up to date on Windows 11 IoT Enterprise, bookmark the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise feature documentation.
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