Microsoft just announced a brand new version of its OS (operating system) that targets students of all ages. Dubbed as Windows 10 S, the recently introduced OS warrants higher performance, tighter security and enhanced battery life.

The Redmond-based software maker unveiled its latest operating system -- Windows 10 S at an event held in New York on Tuesday, May 2. The aforesaid OS isn't ideal for existing PCs, instead, it is expected to come out with low-priced laptops and tablets from PC makers, thus offering budget computers with more bang for their buck.

The "S" in Windows 10 S denotes "streamlined, significant performance, and security," Microsoft Windows boss Terry Myerson, who took the stage at the company's recently held event in New York explained. Further elaborating on this, Myerson said it also alludes to the "soul" of the new operating system.

The Windows 10 S is deemed as Microsoft's answer to Google's featherweight browser-based operating system dubbed as Chrome OS, to streamline Windows for budget hardware and especially, the education market. Myerson says everything that runs on the new OS is downloaded from the Windows Store; however, this doesn't imply desktop apps won't be running on this version of Windows 10, but they will need to be exclusively packaged and listed in the Windows Store, TheVerge reported.

The reason Chromebooks have taken the education market by storm is not only because they are cheaper, but also because they are more dependable and setting, configuring them up is not laborious and more importantly, they are quicker and thus ideal to be used in class. No teacher would want to bear with a really long login process, while all the students try to access their login on a slow laptop for the first time. AnandTech suggests these are the reasons Chromebooks have been more successful in the education market than in any other segment.

That being said, it looks Microsoft might already have an answer to that issue. Looking for a broader adoption than just education, Windows 10 S offers one big thing that Chromebook does not.

In case, a Windows 10 S user finds the whole Windows Store concept too restricting, they can upgrade to a full version of Windows 10 Pro by paying a small fee. While an upgrade to the Windows 10 Pro transforms it to a regular, everyday Windows PC, it is imperative for users to bear in mind that with this, they lose out on enhanced battery life and assured higher performance.