Microsoft Plans Unified Platform, Windows To Update All Apps On Your PC

Microsoft is expanding the capabilities of the Windows Update service by introducing a new orchestration platform aimed at unifying the updating system for the entire Windows ecosystem, including third-party apps.

The tech giant on May 28 announced a private preview for the Windows Update orchestration platform, allowing developers and product teams of apps and management tools handling update experiences to sign up for it.

This will allow Windows Update on devices to support all types of updates for apps or drivers in the future. As of now, it is focused mainly on the business apps, but it is expected to open for other apps and management tools in the future, The Verge reported.

Acknowledging that the current update system across Windows "can feel like a fragmented experience," Microsoft's Angie Chen said in a blog that it is building a "Windows-native update orchestration platform to support all updates on Windows."

This vision of a "unified, intelligent update orchestration platform" will make it capable of supporting any update to be orchestrated alongside Windows updates, Chen said.

Currently, Windows Update is majorly utilised to update core parts of Windows, besides key drivers for devices. 

Since most of the applications on Windows get updated on an independent basis using its own mechanisms, this can lead to CPU and bandwidth spikes at times when the device is in use; confusing and conflicting notifications; and added support costs.

The new Windows Update orchestration platform will allow developers to take advantage of an API that will add their apps or management tools. After successful integration, the scheduled updates will be based on user activity, battery status, system performance and sustainable times to update.

The latest platform will allow updates for apps to use native Windows Update notifications, reducing the need for having separate update notifications.

Moreover, users will be able to witness all the centralised update history for these apps in the Settings menu.

The IT administrators can easily manage updated deadlines and notifications through this platform, which also simplifies troubleshooting via consultation of a single set of logs and diagnostic data for all updates.

This will support MSIX/APPX packaged apps as well as some of the custom Win32 applications. 

Moreover, products that will be onboarded to the Windows Update orchestrator can get future improvements and capabilities automatically.