Arguably, the first computers to be properly called “Windows PCs” became available in 1995. (1995 was, surprisingly, almost 30 years ago. That doesn’t seem right.) Why do I peg that date when the basic PC architecture has been around since 1981? Well, before the release of Windows 95, Windows was essentially an app that ran over a much simpler operating system. Windows 95 (sorta) changed that. From that point forward, Windows itself was the operating system. Now, we can argue as to whether or not that was a real differentiator in those days, sure. Even though Windows 95 technically was an operating system, it still used a boot loader that wasn’t too different from what came before. But I digress. That’s not the point of this week’s Throwback Thursday.
No, the point is that since the dawn of Windows PCs, one of the cool things about them is that you can install pretty much anything you want on them. You can create your own apps and load them if you want to. But that’s also been one of the most dangerous things about Windows PCs. Early, pre-Windows PCs had essentially no protections against malware. That’s changed over the years, and Windows now routinely manages and fixes itself if there’s bad stuff circulating over the internet. It’s still possible to mess up your computer pretty badly, though. More importantly for us in 2023, it’s still possible for all your personal data to get leaked out to the world in the process.
Enter Windows RT
When Apple released its app store on iPhone in 2008 (which was, surprisingly, 15 years ago), the very idea of installing software got turned on its head. Apple proved that users were perfectly willing to accept a curated list of apps that had been checked carefully. Google didn’t believe it at first, which is why early Androids had such malware problems. And at the time, so did Windows.
It took Microsoft some time to figure out how to create its own app store. Its first attempt was in 2012, with its first Surface devices. The low-end ones didn’t run Intel-compatible processors, and therefore Microsoft could introduce an app store with curated products that had been tested on that hardware. The operating system was called Windows RT, and it really sucked. It didn’t last long, mercifully. Microsoft went on to develop generations of Surface products that worked a lot better. But they still wanted an app store they could control.
Windows S, aka RT 2.0
About five years later, Microsoft tried again. They released a new product called “Windows 10 S.” I wasn’t terribly kind when I talked about it. Windows 10 S was a full-featured version of Windows 10 that had the ability to run non-Microsoft-Store apps blocked. Once again, here was an operating system calling itself Windows when it couldn’t run Windows programs.
Microsoft launched Windows S as a response to Chromebooks and other less expensive hardware that had started flooding the education market. They’d tried something similar with an OS called “Windows 7 Starter.” That OS could run any Windows app, but it didn’t have key components of Windows so it could run on woefully underpowered PCs.
With Windows 10 S, Microsoft could create products for education and business markets and essentially give away the operating system. This allowed hardware makers to compete in the sub-$300 market where previously, Chromebooks had been stealing their lunch money.
It seemed like a good idea, but if you changed your mind and wanted a full-featured Windows PC, well… Microsoft wanted you to buy a new PC.
The end of S, and the beginning of S mode
It took less than a year before Microsoft saw the problem with this plan. No one wanted a PC that had no upgrade path, no matter how cheap it was. So, they ditched Windows 10 S as a standalone product. Instead, they introduced PCs with “S mode.” S mode was essentially the same thing in that it didn’t let users install any apps except Microsoft Store ones. The difference was, you could get a Microsoft Store app that let you remove S mode and turn your computer into a normal one. And, even better, that app was free. (System administrators could block it, though, so security for schools and businesses wasn’t affected.)
Finally, after close to a decade of trying, here was something that started to make sense. Almost. See, a lot of developers did move their apps to the Microsoft Store. Microsoft’s own Office (later 365) eventually moved to the store as well. There was only one app that didn’t.
Google Chrome is still the most powerful browser in the world and if you want to use it, you need to disable S mode. It’s just that simple. Microsoft’s own browser, Edge, is based on the same code as Chrome, and honestly it’s become quite capable. But Chrome still has brand recognition and people want it.
It seems like Google’s not budging
Google has shown no interest in moving Chrome to the Microsoft Store, even though it probably wouldn’t cost them anything to do it. Chrome doesn’t cost the user anything, so it’s not even like Microsoft would collect any fees for it. Google, for their part, just doesn’t want to do it. So far, that strategy is working for them, too. Chrome’s market share has dropped somewhat over the years, but it’s been staying at roughly 65% for quite some time. Microsoft Edge, the only major browser you can get on their store, is a distant second at 13%.
What will I throw back to in five years?
In five years, I’ll be revisiting this article. I think eventually Google will cave and put Chrome on the Microsoft Store. Honestly, it’s not a terrible way to install apps, and it’s probably what most people need. Having a walled-garden experience is the right thing for most home users, and a curated selection of apps is probably best if you think about it. But hey, at least we’ve come this far.
