If you expect major changes in the next Windows 11 24H2 release, you’ll be half disappointed. Rumours suggest that Microsoft might release the patch in stages with fewer features than initially anticipated.
From what we’ve gathered, the Redmond giant has pushed out a new preview update that represents the final 24H2 release. Reliable leaker Zac Bowden of Windows Central says that this current iteration, referred to as build 26100, is the RTM build for Windows 11 version 24H2. RTM, or ‘release to manufacturing,’ is an age-old term for software that is complete and ready to launch. However, in the era of Windows as a service, that’s no longer the case. Instead, the ‘gone gold’ milestone represents the first live public rollout.
In this case, Microsoft has rolled out Windows 11 24H2 build 26100 to Insiders in the Dev and Canary channels. Once the brand irons all the bugs and testing is complete, we can expect an official rollout to customers no later than June. Well, with one small caveat.
As mentioned before, it seems that Microsoft will chunk up the Windows 11 24H2 update and ship it out in stages. The first half will specifically show up on next-gen Snapdragon X Elite devices. These AI-powered PCs are built on an entirely new Germanium platform and promise to take full advantage of all artificial intelligence features. However, Microsoft is not quite ready to release those features just yet.
Henceforth, build 24100 is but a barebones version with all the new underpinnings required for Qualcomm’s next-gen Arm-based laptops. This gives Microsoft time to flesh out the feature set fully for the second half of the update. The company will then make the patch available via an OTA update sometime around September.
