Windows 10: 5 Key Features For Business
With Windows 10 fast approaching, we spotlight five features that will change the enterprise user experience.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blt15abfdb7e7dc5e49/64cb54e4afed927fc0fc528c/Win10_notification.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
When Microsoft first announced the development of Windows 10 in January, it was at a consumer-focused publicity event. Company officials highlighted features like a new browser and Photos app with the goal of appealing to a broad consumer audience.
As the team continued development over the ensuing months, releasing more details to the public and rolling out Windows 10 preview builds to Windows Insiders, it became clear that the new OS will be just as significant to business users as to consumers.
As CEO Satya Nadella said in his keynote at this year's Ignite conference, the enduring mission at Microsoft is to "empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more." Its goal of reinventing the nature of work through the integration of technology and business processes will propel Microsoft into the future of productivity.
[Android M Adds Enterprise Features]
Windows 10 plays a critical role in this undertaking. The new OS marks a turning point in how Microsoft builds and delivers new features and services to the projected one billion devices it will support by its third-launch anniversary.
The upgrade will be free of charge to consumers and small businesses running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 starting July 29. They will download one of two editions. The first is Windows 10 Home, which has all the new OS features except those limited to the Pro edition. Windows 10 Pro is for higher-quality devices, like those used in business, and has features including the ability to set up a PC as a remote desktop server, Hyper-V virtualization, and BitLocker encryption.
Windows 10 Enterprise will be released as an upgrade to larger enterprise customers. Large businesses holding Volume License contracts will be able to install Windows 10 Enterprise, but the upgrade requires that the products already have a Windows business edition license.
Windows 10, the last version of Microsoft Windows, will pack new productivity features and security updates to accommodate enterprise users. From a specific business edition to Universal Windows apps, there are a few key differences that set it apart from its predecessors.
Here, InformationWeek examines which key features in Windows 10 will most affect business users. Will you be downloading the new OS? What are you most looking forward to?
Windows 10 marks the rollout of Cortana on PCs and tablets. Microsoft's digital personal assistant has been designed to record the context of your interactions and adapt its behavior according to the device you're on. Users generally interact with Cortana for short periods of time on their smartphones and have longer productive sessions on PCs. The more you use Cortana, the more it will get to know you. Of course, if you don't want Cortana to record all your actions, you now have the option to control how much the assistant can know.
Cortana will have a few new capabilities when it appears on PCs in Windows 10. A new search function enables Cortana to look within the hard drive and OneDrive for documents you want to find through natural queries. It will also be able to launch apps, send emails, and play or pause music automatically, depending on whether you feel like listening while you work.
At this year's Build conference Microsoft also announced that Cortana in Windows 10 will deliver new experiences through integration with Universal Windows apps. For example, you'll be able to tell Cortana to message a contact using Viber, and the two apps will interact to set up a chat. And as indicated in the above image, Cortana will also keep you posted on coupons and discounts if you're browsing new devices or other products online.
Universal Windows apps will work across all devices. This simplifies the process for developers, who can build one app for a broad range of products, but it's also good news for business pros juggling multiple devices for work and home.
Windows 10 will ship with built-in universal apps for Messaging, Mail, Calendar, People, Photos, Videos, Maps, and Music. All have a similar appearance across devices, and content is stored and synced on OneDrive so you can start a project on one device and continue on another.
Among the universal apps supported on Windows 10 will be those from Microsoft Office. New versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote have been redesigned for touch optimization across devices, good news for employees who juggle smartphones and tablets, or prefer on-the-go productivity. Users can create and edit Word documents, annotate and present PowerPoint slides, and build and update spreadsheets in Excel sans keyboard or mouse.
The Office universal apps will be free on smartphones and smaller tablets running Windows 10, and available for download on the Windows Store on other devices.
Microsoft Edge, formerly known as Project Spartan, is Microsoft's new minimalist browser. It's intended to serve as a replacement for Internet Explorer, though Microsoft's old browser will continue to be available for enterprise compatibility.
Business pros who plan to live on the Edge can expect a few nifty features that can help with productivity. Edge lets you annotate, save, and share webpages with colleagues, friends, or family, something that I found useful for trip planning but could also work for brainstorming or editing Websites. An improved reading mode eliminates ads on eligible websites for distraction-free reading and lets you build a list of content that can be accessed offline, which is a useful way to store all those articles and documents you don't have time to read during the workday.
Edge also boasts more security features than its predecessor. Because it's available as a universal app, the browser won't be threatened by security flaws in the Windows OS. Microsoft also notes that every Webpage will be processed in an app container, which is "the latest and most secure client-side app sandbox in Windows," it promises.
Microsoft is upping its security game in Windows 10 with a few new features designed to protect users by keeping their devices and data safe.
Among these is Windows Hello, an authentication feature that will eliminate the need for traditional passwords. The system uses a biometric scanner to read its user's fingerprint, face or iris, and log in to applications and content without storing a password on the device or network server.
The new Passport feature allows users to enter Websites, networks, and apps without passwords. They simply confirm with Windows 10 that they are in possession of their device via biometric scan in order to automatically access a variety of services and websites like email, social networks, and e-commerce pages. The Passport system works alongside Microsoft's Azure Active Directory Services, and stores each users' biometric information locally on the device.
A new Device Guard feature aims to abolish zero-day attacks by scanning apps and blocking those that have not been signed by the Windows app store, specific software vendors, and the enterprise. If an app is deemed a threat, Microsoft sends a notification to the user. Companies including Acer, Toshiba, Lenovo,and Fujitsu have partnered with Microsoft to implement Device Guard on their Windows products.
The Windows 10 Enterprise edition will build on the advanced capabilities of Windows 10 Pro to accommodate medium and large-sized businesses. This version of the new OS packs additional security features to protect the many identities, devices, information, and apps within each organization. It also has broader support for OS deployment and management for devices and apps. Businesses can opt to upgrade via Windows Update for Business or access the Long Term Servicing Branch for mission-critical devices.
Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise is also available to Volume Licensing customers and is built to deliver a better experience to business users on smartphones and smaller tablets. This edition offers the same security, productivity, and mobile device management (MDM) capabilities available on Windows 10 Mobile, but with more flexibility in managing updates. Mobile Enterprise will integrate new innovation and security features as they become available.
The Windows 10 Enterprise edition will build on the advanced capabilities of Windows 10 Pro to accommodate medium and large-sized businesses. This version of the new OS packs additional security features to protect the many identities, devices, information, and apps within each organization. It also has broader support for OS deployment and management for devices and apps. Businesses can opt to upgrade via Windows Update for Business or access the Long Term Servicing Branch for mission-critical devices.
Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise is also available to Volume Licensing customers and is built to deliver a better experience to business users on smartphones and smaller tablets. This edition offers the same security, productivity, and mobile device management (MDM) capabilities available on Windows 10 Mobile, but with more flexibility in managing updates. Mobile Enterprise will integrate new innovation and security features as they become available.
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