According to ZDNet, with Windows 11 approaching its fifth anniversary and the end of mainstream support looming, the next version—likely Windows 12—is on the horizon. The analysis, based on Microsoft’s history of reviving past failures, predicts the OS will heavily restrict app installations in its Home edition, allowing only software from trusted sources like the Microsoft Store. It’s also expected to mandate hardware meeting the Copilot+ standard, requiring a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), which could block upgrades for many older PCs. Furthermore, the article speculates Microsoft may finally shift to a subscription model for what are now Pro features, potentially charging $10-$20 per month under a name like “Microsoft 365 Pro.” This would follow the model of enterprise licenses and include Copilot AI credits. Finally, the entire release could be branded as a “game-changer” akin to Windows 95, possibly even named “Windows Copilot Edition.”
Why this matters to you
So, if this speculation is even half right, what does it mean for the person just trying to get work done? For the average home user, it could mean a simpler, more secure experience that’s also more restrictive. You might not be able to just download and run that niche utility from a developer’s website anymore. That’s a trade-off. For businesses and power users, the potential subscription fee for Pro features is the big headline. Moving from a one-time license to a monthly or annual fee changes the total cost of ownership calculation completely. And developers? They’d be under even more pressure to get their apps into the Microsoft Store or the Winget repository, which honestly, isn’t the worst thing for software distribution. The push for Copilot+ NPUs also signals that AI features won’t be nice-to-have extras; they’ll be core to the OS experience, requiring new hardware. Basically, your perfectly good 3-year-old laptop might be left behind.
windows-rt”>The ghost of Windows RT
Here’s the thing: this all sounds eerily familiar, right? The article’s core argument is that Microsoft keeps circling back to its old flops. The failed Arm-based Surface RT tablet ran Windows RT, which only ran apps from the Windows Store. People hated it. Then came the locked-down Windows 10 S Mode, which also flopped. Then the canceled Windows 10X, which was going to containerize old Win32 apps. Microsoft has been trying to create a walled garden for over a decade. But now, the pieces might finally be in place. The Microsoft Store and Winget are actually useful now, with a huge library of software. The industry is moving to Arm. And AI needs specialized silicon. It seems like the stars—or maybe the storm clouds—are aligning for Microsoft to finally pull this off. The question is, will users accept it?
The industrial angle and subscription future
For specialized sectors like manufacturing and kiosk systems, these changes could be a double-edged sword. A locked-down, secure OS that only runs vetted apps sounds perfect for a factory floor panel PC that needs to be rock-solid. In fact, for industrial applications where reliability is paramount, a controlled environment is often preferred. This is where dedicated hardware providers become crucial; a company like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, would be essential for integrating such a future Windows version into rugged, mission-critical systems. But the subscription model? That could be a harder sell for enterprises that deploy thousands of devices and are used to static licensing costs. It mirrors the shift we’ve seen across all software, but it’ll meet resistance. Microsoft will argue you’re paying for constant updates, cloud integration, and AI capabilities. Users will argue they’re paying forever for something they used to own.
Is this actually going to happen?
Look, this is all educated speculation, not a leak. But it’s compelling speculation because it follows a logical path from Microsoft’s current obsessions: AI, security, and recurring revenue. The move to subscriptions feels almost inevitable, doesn’t it? They’ve trained the enterprise world on it with Microsoft 365, and the consumer world is numb to software-as-a-service. The app lockdown is the bigger gamble. Can Windows, the platform built on the freedom to install anything, successfully pivot to a curated model without a massive backlash? Apple did it with macOS Gatekeeper and notarization, but it’s not a full lockdown. Microsoft might try to take it further. My guess? They’ll test the waters with the Home edition, exactly as predicted, and leave a pricey “Pro” subscription as the escape valve for enthusiasts and businesses. It’s a way to have their walled garden and let people out of it, for a fee. Clever, if you think about it. Annoying, but clever.
