Rumours have existed for some time that Microsoft have been working on a competitor to Google’s cloud-based ChromeOS, dubbed by many of those speculating as Windows 10 Cloud.

References to a simplified version of Windows 10 have started to appear in recent test builds, with the stripped back cloud based version expected to only run apps from the Windows Store (much like the ill-fated Windows RT). It is anticipated to power many lower-end PCs for education and business customers, two areas where Google’s Chrome are beginning to dominate, and so would be designed to challenge Google’s Chromebooks head-on.

Industry speculation recently gained pace following a teaser sent out by Microsoft for an event in New York City on the 2nd May. Speculation also exists that this could be the event used for an announcement on the Surface Pro 5 or Surface Book 2, but we will just have to wait until next month to see if any this speculation translates into real product launches.

Check back with us over the coming weeks and months, and we will of course update you with the latest news on any relevant launches of software or hardware from Microsoft.