What is Next for an Organization Using Windows 10?
In a recent announcement, Microsoft shared their subscription pricing for continued security updates on Windows 10 beyond the deadline of October 2025. The reveal includes a pricing structure that leaves many users contemplating their future with the operating system.
The crux of the matter lies in the necessity of security updates to safeguard users from vulnerabilities within the operating system. Microsoft’s monthly release of security patches has long been the standard for maintaining the integrity and safety of Windows 10. However, with the end of support on the horizon, users will face five choices:
- Stay on Windows 10 and risk having a vulnerable OS in the future
- Switch to Windows 11, often requiring new hardware investments
- Opt into a subscription model to ensure ongoing Windows 10 security updates
- Opt into a subscription model free of charge, when purchasing O365 for that PC
- Move Windows into the cloud through Azure Virtual Desktop or O365 and convert your former Windows 10 endpoints to an ultra-secure, future-proof OS.
The extended support program and its subscription model, primarily aimed at commercial customers initially, comes with a hefty price tag. Starting at $61 per device for the first year, the cost doubles annually for three years, culminating in $244 per device in the third year. For businesses and enterprises still reliant on Windows 10 for their operations, this subscription may offer a temporary lifeline, allowing them to postpone the inevitable migration to Windows 11.
One notable aspect of the subscription model is the requirement for users to pay for the years of updates they’ve missed if they choose to join the program belatedly. This adds another layer of financial consideration for those deliberating on the timing of their entry into the subscription plan.
While Microsoft continues to emphasize the importance of security and the need for continued support, Microsoft also appears to recommend migrating to Windows 11, which remains fully supported and receives free security updates.
For Windows 10 users contemplating their next move, the message is clear: the clock is ticking. Whether to embrace the subscription model or embark on the transition to Windows 11, the decision carries implications for security, functionality, and ultimately, the bottom line.
Explore Option #5: The Cost-Effective Way to Embrace Windows 11 with Stratodesk
If your organization is looking for an affordable, sustainable, and practical way to embrace Windows 11, Stratodesk has the ideal solution. Rather than upgrading your local devices to Windows 11, of which many endpoints may not meet the requirements, why not take Windows 11 to the cloud? With Stratodesk’s secure, NoTouch OS, you can seamlessly transition your users’ experience to Windows 11 without the hassle of investing in new hardware.
To seamlessly transition your endpoints, organizations will upgrade all their desktop hardware to NoTouch OS, a secure, lightweight, fully managed endpoint OS that works on any X86 hardware and has very minimal requirements. This means that devices incapable of running Windows 11 would be upgraded with NoTouch, and any PC, Laptop, and Thin Client, even older devices running (unsupported) versions of Windows 8 or Windows 7, Win IoT are also candidates for an upgrade.
Every NoTouch OS license includes a NoTouch Center management console, making this solution the easiest, most cost-effective way to connect to Windows 11 via Windows 365 Cloud PC or Azure Virtual Desktop, or other technologies such as Citrix, Horizon, or AWS. Desktop devices become secure, read-only, fully manageable thin workstations no matter where employees are connecting from.
Organizations that already have a VDI environment in place or are already using any kind of DaaS/cloud solution to deploy and scale their Windows desktops have already made this paradigm shift. But when connecting to their desktops and applications in the cloud or the server center with a power-hungry and hard-to-manage PC or laptop running Windows they only get half of the benefits and cost-saving effects of VDI or DaaS/cloud computing.
For these enterprises, it makes sense to skip hardware refresh and lower ongoing operating costs by connecting to Windows 11 on Azure or Windows 365/Cloud PC from a secure and low-energy NoTouch device.
In both situations, the enterprise IT team will undoubtedly value the flexibility, agility, and user-friendly nature of NoTouch Center. Serving as the centralized management platform for all NoTouch-powered endpoints, it offers lightning-fast deployment, seamless administration, and precise control.
In a landscape where the future of Windows 10 is tied to subscription models, the option to transition seamlessly to Windows 11 via the cloud presents an appealing alternative. Not only does Stratodesk’s approach bypass the need for expensive hardware upgrades, but it also ensures ongoing security and support without the burden of escalating subscription costs. As organizations navigate the evolving terrain of operating system upgrades, Stratodesk offers a forward-thinking solution that prioritizes efficiency, sustainability, and adaptability.
Get a free trial of Stratodesk NoTouch OS today or join one of our weekly demos.
Sources:
https://www.stratodesk.com/embrace-windows-11-in-the-cloud-the-stratodesk-notouch-solution/
