Any issues caused by functional updates (releases) were thus prevented.įurthermore, Microsoft added some industry-specific features to the Windows 10 IoT Enterprise version, such as Write Filter, USB Filter, Input Filter, Branded Boot, and Shell Launcher, and omitted typical home-use apps like the Edge browser and Cortana. However, since this only included security-related updates instead of functional ones, the actual operating system remained virtually untouched for a long time. To ensure that the long update cycles did not result in any security gaps, the LTSB version still received security updates and hotfixes continuously. In addition, the user could choose whether to install them or not. They contained only features that had already been extensively tested and whose development had been completed. In the LTSB version, new versions were only provided as upgrades every two to three years. To appease industrial customers, Microsoft previously offered the Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) version of Windows 10 IoT Enterprise. The problem is that functional updates can cause compatibility issues that lead to production downtime and thus to breakdown, frustration and annoyance. Why is Microsoft even offering an LTSB or LTSC version for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise to begin with? While home edition users are used to frequent updates to the operating system, these forced updates cause a lot of turmoil in the industrial sector. Is this just a new name for the same product or is there more to it? Does Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2019 LTSC offer any improvements and benefits compared to Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016 LTSB? These are the questions we are addressing below.īut let’s start from the beginning.

The new add-on is no longer called LTSB, but rather LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel). Now Microsoft launched Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2019 LTSC. For Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016, Microsoft offered an LTSB (Long Term Servicing Branch) version.

Windows 10 iot vs windows 10