Microsoft has announced that schools can extend their Windows 10 security updates for as little as $1 per computer, in response to concerns about the increase in e-waste when millions of computers become ineligible for updates. The Extended Security Updates (ESU) program allows for three years of extended support, with education customers paying $1 per computer for the first year. Roughly 40% of PCs in use can’t upgrade to Windows 11.
In other notable product news, Slack has made its AI paid add-on available to all paid users, offering generative AI features to optimize teamwork. The AI features include a recap feature for daily summaries, an AI-powered search tool, and conversation summaries.
Why do we care?
This week we’ve had two notable pushbacks to Microsoft. Given that approximately 40% of PCs currently in use are not capable of upgrading to Windows 11, the importance of this initiative extends beyond educational sectors, hinting at a potential broader application in the future. I suspect this isn’t the last we hear of this – and an opportunity to push back.