Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, which could render 240 million PCs obsolete for consumers and businesses due to lack of free security updates and technical support. Since many of Windows 10 systems are too old to run Windows 11, many users will have to pay Microsoft for extended support or buy new PCs. Some may want to preserve their existing machines and not pay Microsoft, which will be dangerous due to lack of security updates, but Google seems to have a solution.
Google suggests you migrate to cloud-based ChromeOS Flex, which will keep receiving regular security updates and support for at least some time, Google tells to owners of Windows 10-based PCs that are too outdated to run Windows 11. The lightweight operating system that can be easily installed on Windows devices using a USB stick. If people adopt ChromeOS Flex, this will prevent millions of PCs from becoming electronic waste, which is good for the planet.
In addition, ChromeOS Flex provides numerous other advantages, including regular security updates, data encryption, and potentially improved performance for older devices. It also promises lower IT support costs, making it an attractive option for businesses. The operating system is compatible with various Chrome Enterprise solutions, catering to a wide range of business needs such as fleet management, kiosk deployment, and ransomware recovery.
But there is one thing that Google's ChromeOS does not offer, and which could render the operating system useless for the vast majority of owners of Windows 10-based PCs. For obvious reasons, ChromeOS does not support Windows applications and many users — both businesses and consumers — of outdated Windows machines use their PCs to keep using programs they know and like. Google is addressing this issue by enabling users to stream these legacy applications, enhancing ChromeOS's adaptability in the business environment, but it cannot stream tens of thousands of applications in use today and streaming requires stable Internet connection, which somewhat reduces appeal of this solution.
"ChromeOS Flex is the perfect (and free!) answer for Windows 10 users with perfectly good hardware who feel abandoned by the shift to Windows 11," said Naveen Viswanatha, ChromeOS Head of Commercial Product at Google. "Whether you are a consumer trying to make the most of the money you have already spent, or an IT manager looking at a fleet of PCs that you need to replace to stay secure, consider ChromeOS Flex."
But users do not seem to be convinced, ChromeOS currently holds a modest 1.78% share of the global PC OS market, trailing far behind Windows's dominant 73% share and MacOS's substantial 16.11% share as of January, 2024, according to StatCounter.com.
