Intended for children and schools, Microsoft has released a new version of Windows 11. Windows 11 SE will only be available on low-cost laptops designed for K-8 classrooms, and it is Microsoft’s latest attempt to compete with Google’s Chromebook line and the rising popularity of these devices in the United States.
When it comes to Chromebooks, Microsoft has been baffled as to why schools and kids are flocking to them. This is the second time Microsoft has tried to implement a S Mode that restricts Windows 10 to programs from the Microsoft Store. End users and schools were more annoyed by the restriction because there were not enough apps in the Microsoft Store for it to make any sense.
Unlike Microsoft’s original plans for Windows 10X, Windows 11 SE takes a different approach to a school version of the operating system. It will only be offered on new low-cost handsets and to consumers in the education and school sector. Despite the fact that Windows 11 SE is designed for Microsoft Edge, Office, and Microsoft’s cloud-based services, it isn’t limited to Microsoft programs alone.
Windows 11 SE also allows third-party programs like Zoom and Chrome because Microsoft’s education marketing director, Paige Johnson, wants to give schools the choice of what works best for them. In the future, IT administrators will be in command of which apps are deployed, and devices may be managed to update discreetly outside of class time.
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The Microsoft Store will not be included in Windows 11 SE. Instead, Microsoft enables IT administrators to install specific third-party programs on SE devices. However, Microsoft hasn’t yet released its full list of authorized applications, including Chrome and Zoom.
The majority of the changes in Windows 11 SE are modest. Over the past 18 months, teachers and students have given Microsoft feedback on its efforts to date on low-cost Windows computers. As a result of user input, Windows 11 SE now launches apps in Fullscreen mode by default, and numerous Snap Layouts have been replaced with a single option that allows you to position apps side by side.
As a result, Microsoft has deleted the new Widgets feature of Windows 11 from SE since it was determined to be too distracting for classroom use. Chrome extensions will be enabled in Microsoft Edge, which is currently disabled by default in Windows 11. This adjustment is a clear acknowledgment of the fact that many schools in the United States rely on Chrome extensions as part of their Chrome OS usage. Windows 11 SE laptops may also be used outside of the classroom thanks to OneDrive’s offline capability and the ability to back up documents to OneDrive by default.
Bloom wallpaper will be pre-installed by default in Windows 11 SE, along with new software bundles. In Windows 11, you may see that you have two copies of OneNote or Teams installed, but Microsoft has fixed this in Windows 11 SE so that you only have one loaded.
Windows 11 SE will only be offered on low-cost laptops supplied to educational institutions. There will be new Windows 11 SE laptops coming from Acer; Asus; Dell; Dynabook; Fujitsu; HP; JK-IP; Lenovo; and Positivo. A $249 Surface Laptop SE from Microsoft sets the groundwork for the Windows 11 SE operating system. Celeron, 4 GB of DDR3, and 64 GB eMMC storage are included in the basic model, as well as an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) HD display.
The specifications of the Surface Laptop SE show the sort of low-cost devices that will arrive with Windows 11 SE. Microsoft claims to have optimized Windows 11 SE for low-cost laptops with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, so we’ll have to see how it performs.
Microsoft’s efforts to compete with Chrome OS are also a significant element of Windows 11 SE, which Microsoft says isn’t meant to be short for anything. Windows 11 SE laptops will be able to communicate with Microsoft Intune right out of the box, making it easier for IT administrators and school administrators alike.
A streamlined back-end administration interface for education makes it easy for IT administrators to provision these devices. For IT administrators, Microsoft has also included programs such as Flipgrid and Teams with Windows 11 SE so they don’t have to install them individually. Using a Windows 11 SE laptop, students should be able to open it, key in their login details, and be able to access their applications and cloud documents immediately.
This year and until 2022, Microsoft expects Windows 11 SE laptops in education channels to arrive just as the school year begins.
