Microsoft, the maker of the decades-dominant PC operating system, now seems to be advocating for companies to buy fewer PCs, but the situation may be a bit more complicated than it first appears.
Behind Register (opens in a new tab)Microsoft’s new position came with Windows 365 Frontline Public Preview (opens in a new tab)a cloud computing service that, in April 2023, charges customers a fee for the time they use their computer in the cloud instead of an overall monthly fee.
In addition to offering better value for money, Microsoft also believes that cloud computing is better for the planet, an opinion tests (opens in a new tab) commissioned to launch the product on the market by the sustainability consulting company Px3.
The cloud and physical PCs
Research favors cloud computing over physical tablets and laptops for business useand where possible, suggests companies buy employees’ personal devices to avoid providing users with surplus devices.
Using one primary device to connect to your cloud PC instead of multiple provides significant savings in PC manufacturing resources and energy consumption.
The clearest caveat to this idea is theoretically security issues. Can a secure Zero Trust environment ever be created on a device that is also intended for personal use?
Even if the cloud PC environment is remote, access to this environment can be compromised by reckless use of the device without the proper ones end point AND cloud firewall security.
Additionally, Microsoft’s ongoing cloud computing subscription will cost more than purchasing Windows devices and licenses on its own, and this approach will continue to appeal to small businesses looking to cut costs during a recession.