-- Windows 365 will deliver a full, personalized PC experience from the cloud
     to any device, giving workers and organizations power, simplicity and
     security for hybrid work.

Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday announced Windows 365, a cloud service that 
introduces a new way to experience Windows 10 or Windows 11 (when it becomes 
available) to businesses of all sizes. Windows 365 takes the operating system 
to the Microsoft cloud, streaming the full Windows experience - apps, data and 
settings - to personal or corporate devices. Secure by design and built with 
the principles of Zero Trust, Windows 365 secures and stores information in the 
cloud, not on the device, providing a secure, productive experience for workers 
from interns and contractors to software developers and industrial designers. 
Windows 365 also creates a new hybrid personal computing category called Cloud 
PC, which uses both the power of the cloud and the capabilities of the device 
to provide a full, personalized Windows experience. The announcement represents 
a groundbreaking development as organizations around the world grapple with the 
best ways to facilitate hybrid work models where employees are both on-site and 
distributed across the globe.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/24227/Microsoft_Logo.jpg  

"With Windows 365, we're creating a new category: the Cloud PC," said Satya 
Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. "Just like applications were brought to 
the cloud with SaaS, we are now bringing the operating system to the cloud, 
providing organizations with greater flexibility and a secure way to empower 
their workforce to be more productive and connected, regardless of location."

A new computing paradigm for hybrid work

As the pandemic begins to ease in parts of the world, a new way of working is 
emerging, transformed by virtual processes and remote collaboration. In this 
more distributed environment, employees need access to corporate resources 
across locations and devices - and with cybersecurity threats on the rise, 
securing those resources is paramount. 

"Hybrid work has fundamentally changed the role of technology in organizations 
today," said Jared Spataro, corporate vice president, Microsoft 365. "With 
workforces more disparate than ever before, organizations need a new way to 
deliver a great productivity experience with increased versatility, simplicity 
and security. Cloud PC is an exciting new category of hybrid personal computing 
that turns any device into a personalized, productive and secure digital 
workspace. Today's announcement of Windows 365 is just the beginning of what 
will be possible as we blur the lines between the device and the cloud."

Windows 365 helps employers solve challenges they've faced since long before 
the pandemic. Workers expect greater flexibility and more options to work from 
different locations, while still ensuring the security of the organization's 
data. Seasonal workers can cycle on and off teams without the logistical 
challenges of issuing new hardware or securing personal devices - allowing the 
organization to scale for busy periods more efficiently and securely. And 
companies can easily ensure specialized workers in creative, analytics, 
engineering or scientific roles have greater compute power and secure access to 
critical applications that they need. 

Versatile, simple, secure: the transformational impact of Windows 365

By building on the power of the Windows operating system and the strength of 
the cloud, Windows 365 gives any organization greater peace of mind in three 
key ways:

  -- Powerful. With instant-on boot to their personal Cloud PC, users can
     stream all their applications, tools, data and settings from the cloud
     across any device. Windows 365 provides the full PC experience in the
     cloud. The cloud also provides versatility in processing power and
     storage, enabling IT to scale up or down, based on their needs. With a
     choice of either Windows 10 or Windows 11 (once it is generally available
     later in 2021), organizations can choose the Cloud PC that works for them
     with per-user per-month pricing. 
  -- Simple. With a Cloud PC, users can log in and pick back up where they left
     off across devices, providing a simple and familiar Windows experience
     delivered by the cloud. For IT, Windows 365 also simplifies deployment,
     updates and management - and unlike other solutions, Windows 365 doesn't
     require any virtualization experience. With Windows 365 optimized for the
     endpoint, IT can easily procure, deploy and manage Cloud PCs for their
     organization just as they manage physical PCs through Microsoft Endpoint
     Manager. Small and midsize businesses can purchase Windows 365 directly or
     through a cloud service provider, and set up their organization with Cloud
     PCs with just a few clicks. Microsoft also continues to innovate in Azure
     Virtual Desktop for those organizations with deep virtualization
     experience that want more customization and flexibility options. 
  -- Secure. Windows 365 is secure by design, leveraging the power of the cloud
     and the principles of Zero Trust. Information is secured and stored in the
     cloud, not on the device. Always up to date and building on the strength
     of rich Microsoft security capabilities and baselines, Windows 365
     simplifies security and recommends the best security settings for the
     environment at hand. 

New opportunities for the Microsoft partner ecosystem

For decades, Microsoft partners have been at the center of how Microsoft 
delivers technologies and business transformation to customers around the 
world. The depth of Microsoft's cloud offerings and technology portfolio gives 
partners the power to build innovative, industry-specific solutions. Windows 
365 will allow partners to continue to make more possible.

From systems integrators to managed service providers to independent software 
vendors (ISVs) to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the new Cloud PC 
category creates opportunity for Microsoft partners to deliver new Windows 
experiences in the cloud. 

Organizations will look to systems integrators and managed service providers to 
help them get the most out of their entire Windows estate. ISVs can continue to 
build Windows apps and now deliver them in the cloud to help businesses work in 
new ways as they continue to digitally transform. And OEMs gain an opportunity 
to integrate Windows 365 into their broad portfolio of services alongside their 
devices' robust features and secure hardware.

"To be their best in a new world of work, employees need workplace technology 
that's familiar, easy to use, secure and always available," said Veit 
Siegenheim, global modern workplace lead, Avanade. "With Windows 365, Microsoft 
is capitalizing on the power of the cloud to empower productivity anywhere, 
across any device and elevate the workplace experience." 

Availability

Windows 365 will be generally available to businesses of all sizes starting on 
Aug. 2, 2021. More information can be found at 
https://Microsoft.com/Windows-365. 

About Microsoft

Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era 
of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower 
every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. 

SOURCE: Microsoft Corp.

CONTACT: Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 
638-7777, rapidresponse@we-worldwide.com