General Manager Recalls Windows 365 Cloud PC Buildout as COVID Began

Microsoft is expanding its Windows 365 Cloud PC with a new app, a government version and support for Citrix HDX. Also, Microsoft has added extended Windows 365’s Zero Trust Security with support for password-less authentication and management using Intune.

Microsoft’s Scott Manchester at Ignite 2022

A preview of the new Windows 365 app is now available in the Microsoft Store. The app is accessible from the Windows 11 taskbar. It lets users switch between the native desktop and a virtual Windows 365 Cloud PC workspace.

Microsoft launched the added Windows 365 features during this month’s Ignite event and last week held technical sessions. The updates come just over a year after the managed virtual Windows service became generally available. According to Microsoft, the Windows 365 app will work on all Windows 11 PCs. The company has optimized it for Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft 365 apps.

“This is a very beautiful app that meets the kind of design elements that an average user can just get behind this and be productive,” said Windows 365 general manager Scott Manchester during a panel discussion at Ignite. Microsoft announced that it would include Windows 365 app in Windows 11.

Citrix designed HDX Plus for Windows 365 to integrate Windows 365 with Citrix Cloud. It uses the Citrix HDX protocols to ensure secure connectivity. It also aims to provide reliable connectivity.

The Microsoft Intune management and configuration platform will also soon be able to support security policies in Windows 365. The Microsoft 365 console will soon let administrators provision Windows 365 Cloud PCs with Microsoft Intune if the tenant has the required Intune license.

Channel Futures caught up with Manchester during a recent stop on Igel’s Disrupt road show, where we discussed Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop.

See our slideshow above for our conversation.