Skip to main content

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 11 update 21H2, here's what you need to do next

For those of you who haven’t kept up with updating your Windows 11 device, now is the time to do so. Microsoft announced that it will finally be ending support for Windows 11 version 21H2 for Home and Pro editions.

According to Microsoft’s official page, the October 2023 security update is the last one, and 21H2 will no longer receive monthly security and preview updates. Microsoft explains, “To help keep you protected and productive, Windows Update will automatically initiate a feature update for Windows 11 consumer devices and non-managed business devices that are at, or within several months of reaching, end of servicing.”

Windows 11 version 21H2 was released as a free upgrade two years ago. But now Microsoft will be recommending those still using it to upgrade to Windows 11 version 22H2 and, as outlined in the statement above, will remind users to do so. However, for those using Enterprise, Education, IoT Enterprise, and Enterprise multi-session editions of the OS, the tech giant will still deliver security updates until October 8, 2024.

Windows 11 continues to be unpopular 

Despite Windows 11 being out for about two years now, it still has a much lower adoption rate than its predecessor Windows 10. According to data from StatCounter, Windows 11 holds a 23.6% market share, which is barely higher than its April 2023 market share, when it was at 23.1%. Compare that to Windows 10, which holds a 71.6% share of the desktop market even now. And in its first two years, 10 had a 36.6% market share, much higher than 11. 

There are several reasons for this issue, the biggest one being its new system requirements for Windows 11, especially TPM (security), discounted older generations of processors unless users spent money to upgrade their rigs. Another reason is the lack of significant difference between Windows 10 and 11, which would especially discourage those who would need to update their PCs.

Not to mention the other problems of advertisements sneaking into the OS more, privacy issues cropping up from that, as well as a steady stream of bug reports popping up and persistent problems like slow SSDs.

Hopefully, this all will be a lesson to Microsoft when it eventually releases Windows 12, that to convince users to make the OS switch you need to actually give users a reason to convert in the first place.

You might also like



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The latest Apple TV 4K test lets you watch four sports streams at once

Apple is trying something new with the latest beta version of tvOS 16.5: the option to watch up to four simultaneous streams at once. Right now it's limited to live sports streamed through the Apple TV app on the Apple TV 4K , specifically MLB Friday Night Baseball and the MLS Season Pass. A multi-view option was spotted in the tvOS software last month, but the code was hidden and not enabled. MacRumors reported that the feature would be enabled this weekend, and beta testers have since been able to use it. As yet multi-view hasn't been officially announced by Apple, but it's expected that tvOS 16.5 is going to be pushed out in its final form within the next month or so. WWDC 2023 is around the corner as well, when we should be hearing about the next major updates for Apple's various operating systems – including tvOS 17. How it works Over at 9to5Mac there's a hands-on demonstrating how the multi-view feature works, and it's pretty much as you would expe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Quantum computers are fast becoming cheaper and smaller — and they could be coming to a data center near you very soon

IonQ claims we’re closer to widespread enterprise quantum computing deployment as it lifted the lid on two rack-mounted models that can be deployed on-premises.   The startup has built the fourth-generation #AQ35 IonQ Forte Enterprise and fifth-generation #AQ64 IonQ Tempo, both of which are designed to be deployed in enterprise and government data centers. It’s also said it is deploying two quantum computers to the US Air Force.  While revealing these two models, IonQ co-founder and CTO Jungsang Kim said quantum computers are already in use by enterprises to churn through machine learning workloads. This, he added, suggests we’re much closer to readily available and affordable machines. Priming enterprises for a quantum future “We believe in the enterprise-grade quantum computing, which is where it can be something of value for enterprises, can happen in the next few years as we build powerful enough quantum computers that can actually do things that classical computers w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU could get cheaper with a new version – but don’t get your hopes up

Nvidia’s RTX 4080 is purportedly getting a new spin on the GPU which could reduce the cost, but any price reduction will likely be very minor, sadly, if it happens at all. Tom’s Hardware flagged up this rumor – and treat it with caution, as with anything from the ever-spinning mill – that originated from HKEPC (a tech site in Hong Kong), claiming that while the current RTX 4080 graphics card is built on the AD103-300 chip, Nvidia is going to use a slightly different GPU in the future, namely AD103-301. There’s now more evidence this is actually happening, Tom’s points out, courtesy of a graphics card maker, Galax, which under its RTX 4080 product details lists the GPU as ‘AD103-300/301’. Furthermore, VideoCardz , which also picked up on this, informs us that Gainward, another card maker, has also listed the updated GPU variant AD103-301 in its product specs. With two separate third-party graphics card makers mentioning this new spin on the GPU in their specs, it seems pret...
Post a Comment
Read more