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Microsoft: Windows Virtual Desktop is now 'feature complete'

Next stop for Microsoft's Windows Virtual Desktop service is general availability, which could happen as soon as September 2019.
Written by Mary Jo Foley, Senior Contributing Editor

Microsoft is almost ready to start rolling out its Windows Virtual Desktop service. On August 12, Scott Manchester, Group Manager for the service, tweeted that WVD is now "feature complete" and "moving to the final phase for GA (general availability)

Microsoft officials have not said exactly when WVD will be generally available other than later this year, but I'm hearing from some of my contacts that this could happen before the end of September 2019. I've asked to see if Microsoft will comment on that alleged date. Update: A company spokesperson said Microsoft had no comment on the GA date for WVD.

Microsoft made available a public preview of WVD -- its service for virtualizing Windows 7, 10, Office 365 ProPlus apps and other third-party software by running them in Azure virtual machines -- in March 2019. Microsoft first announced plans for the WVD service in September 2018. In addition to virtualizing operating systems and apps, WVD also provides multi-session Windows 10 and supports Windows Server RDS desktop and apps.

Microsoft officials have said they will provide WVD users with the ability to virtualize their Windows 7 desktops -- with free Extended Security Update support through January 2023. That means customers who license and purchase WVD will continue to get security updates for Windows 7 after Microsoft officially ends support (and security updates for the product) after January 14, 2020, for no additional cost.

Microsoft is not fully disclosing pricing for WVD today. Officials are saying that to use the service, customers will need to set up an Azure subscription, and then choose the type of virtual machines and storage they want. 

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