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Changes to Windows Client OS Release Cycle and Moment Feature Drop Control

Changes to Windows Client OS Release Cycle and Moment Feature Drop Control

Written By Anoop C Nair
Last Updated May 4, 2023
Posted In Windows 11
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Is Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again from 1 Year to 3 Years? No. It’s still 1 feature update per year and a new OS version release every 3-4 years. Let’s also discuss Changes to Windows Client OS Release Cycle and Moment Feature Drop Control. However, the major OS version change (Windows 12, 13, etc) would expect to happen every 3 years.

Moment Feature Drop is nothing but continuous/regular shipping of new features via the monthly patch or latest cumulative update (LCU) = Moments = EKB (Enablement Package). Organizations have control over the delivery of these feature updates using policies as explained in the below video.

This feature appeared in April’s optional patch Windows Updates. The new feature is called Get the Latest Updates as Soon as They’re Available. Allow Temporary Enterprise Feature Control video to learn how to control New Monthly Features Enablement via monthly LCU using Intune WUfB Policy.

Microsoft changed the release and support cycles many times in the past few years. It started with the Current Branch (CB/SAC-T) and Current Branch Business (CBB/SAC) cycles. This was the first release cycle to twice (two times) a year.

Patch My PC

Microsoft announced the removal of the semi-annual channel update for Windows 10 on Nov 16, 2021, along with the Windows 11 release. The release cycle of Windows client OS is changed from 2 times a year to one per year for Windows 10.

Video Control Moments Moment Feature drop

Within Microsoft, Windows Continuous Innovation with Moment Feature drop, and enterprise has the option to control it via Group Policy and Intune policies. More details are explained in the video below. This feature is called Windows Updates New Feature Get the Latest Updates as soon as They’re Available.

Video Control Moments Moment Feature drop

Windows Client OS Release Cycle + New Features

As per Windows Central’s report, “Microsoft now intends to ship “major” versions of the Windows client every three years, with the next release currently scheduled for 2024.” This could be Windows 12? we never know!

The only change that Microsoft is planning for is a major update of the Windows client OS. Microsoft doesn’t have any plans to stop adding new features. They are planning to release new features 4 times a year.

As per Windows Central’s report, this is what Microsoft is planning to do for the future releases of Windows client operating systems. I agree with Mary Jo Foley’s comments in her post about enterprises – “Businesses need predictability, and over the past year, predictability has been sorely lacking in the Windows space.”

  • Major OS Updates (such as Windows 12?, Windows 13?) – Every 3 Years.
  • New Features (such as Taskbar, File Explorer changes) – Up to 4 times a year.
Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 1
Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 1

Support Life Cycle of Windows Client Operating System

As per Microsoft documentation, the support life cycle for Windows 11 is 36 months (enterprise and education). For Windows 10, it’s a bit different, and 30 months is the support timeline for enterprise and business editions.

I don’t know whether the Long-Term Servicing Channel and other release channels support or the release cycle of Windows 11 or 10 will get changed with the new 3 year release cycle.

I think the support life cycle of the Windows Client Operating System will also get changed to 3+ years? We will have to wait and see.

Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 2
Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 2

Windows Moment Feature Drop

As per the Twitter user techosarusrex, the July 2nd weeks Windows 11 insider build 22622 could be a branch out for the upcoming Moment feature drop. What is the Moment feature drop now?

As per his and Mary Jo Foley’s conversation on Twitter, Moment Feature Drop is the set of new features added for the later version of Windows 11. Windows Central report also talks about Moments.

“Microsoft is kicking off a new “Moments” engineering effort which is designed to allow the company to rollout new features and experiences at key points throughout the year, outside of major OS releases.”

Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 3
Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years Pic cred to @techosarusre

SCCM Release Cycle Change Expected?

I see a big chance to have a change in the SCCM release cycle also, along with the Windows client OS release cycle change. The Configuration Manager’s current branch (CB) release cycle is 3 releases per year, and this was to cater to the support for Windows 10 client operating system’s 2 releases per year cycle.

Since the Windows release cycle is changing to 3 years and the new features getting released with ConfigMgr Technical Preview versions are significantly reduced. I see a big chance to have a change in the SCCM release cycle as well. We will wait and see! What do you think?

SCCM release cadence changed from 3 releases to 2 releases – SCCM CB Release Has Changed 2 Versions Per Year | March And September.

Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 5
Windows Client OS Release Cycle getting changed again to 3 Years 5

Author

Anoop C Nair is Microsoft MVP! He is a Device Management Admin with more than 20 years of experience (calculation done in 2021) in IT. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group HTMD Community leader. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like SCCM 2012, Current Branch, and Intune. He writes about ConfigMgr, Windows 11, Windows 10, Azure AD, Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, AVD, etc.

Written by

Anoop C Nair is Workplace Technology solution architect with 25+ years of experience in global enterprise organizations such as JP Morgan, Capgemini, etc. Microsoft Certified Trainer. Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for consecutive 11+ years! He also conducts Intune and modern workplace tech training for enterprise organizations. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Founder of HTMD Community and HTMD Conference. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like Intune, Windows, Cloud PC. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security.

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