Be it Windows RT or Windows 10 in S mode, Microsoft has long been on a path to make Windows more efficient, but there is now a reason to believe that it is now officially in the process of taking things to another level. A leaked string for an internal Windows 10 19H1 build shows that Microsoft is getting ready to build Windows 10 for a future wave of foldable devices.
Originally noted on Buildfeed, a website dedicated to finding references to Windows 10 build numbers, Microsoft is now internally working on a “rs_shell_devices_foldables” version of the next Windows 10 update code-named 19H1. Attached with the 18313.1004 build number, this is the first time that the new version of Windows 10 for foldable devices has been spotted. Previously, it was only rumored as Windows Core OS, a modular version of Windows 10.
Unofficially, that appearance now hints that an internal team at Microsoft is likely working on changing user interface elements and other apps on Windows 10 for a new family of foldable devices. However, this version of Windows is still not public, and it isn’t clear what features will be included. Still, The Verge confirms that Microsoft is “making foldable devices and dual screen hardware a big investment area for both Windows and Surface,” so this could likely be a new priority and the next big thing moving forward.
Given past rumors, it could be assumed that the internal build could be intended for Microsoft’s Andromeda device, but that was since pulled back and canceled. Instead, it is likely that Microsoft is building Windows 10 for a new wave of devices, perhaps the larger screen Surface Centaurus, coming later in this year. The presence of an internal build also hints that Microsoft could be working with its partners on other foldable devices, as a recent patent from Lenovo hinted at a future Yoga-style device with a foldable OLED display.
These wouldn’t the first internal changes rumored for Windows 10. Late in 2018, it was indicated that Microsoft could be working on a new Windows Lite OS to target Chromebooks. Lite OS will only run Progressive Web apps and other UWP apps downloaded through the Microsoft Store and can run on devices with any CPU, particularly with Qualcomm’s next processors. Either way, 2019 could be the year where Microsoft takes the stage with a new wave of Windows devices.
