Microsoft is said to be secretly working on a new version of Windows which is currently called ‘Lite’, based on documentation found in the latest build. This new version is not Windows exactly, but it is a version of the OS that is targeted at Chromebooks.
In fact, there are markings all over the latest release of the insider builds and SDK that help us understand where this OS is headed. Unlike the Windows 10 S and RT, the Windows 10 Lite only runs PWAs and UWP apps and strips out everything else making it a true lightweight version of Windows.
This is not a version of the OS that will run in the enterprise or even small business environments and it can’t be purchased either as OEM only may be the way forward. This might the reason for Microsoft to kill off Windows 10 S. The goal of Windows Lite is to make it super lightweight, instant on, always connected, and can run on any type of CPU. With Qualcomm gearing up for Snapdragon event where it is expected to announce a chip that runs Windows significantly faster and better than 835, we can expect devices with the new chip running the Windows Lite OS. There’s also a possibility that it may not be called Windows.
This new iteration of Windows will act like Windows OS but won’t be Windows by significantly changing up the name, UI and everything else. This also explains why Microsoft is aggressively pursuing the PWA platform with Edge, it will be a central part of the Windows Lite experience. The timelines for the launch are currently unclear, but might likely have a build in 2019.