New Windows 10 "Anniversary" Update Coming to PC and Xbox One This Summer

Today at Microsoft's Build conference, the company announced the next major update for Windows 10 and confirmed that the operating system has reached 270 million installs. This is up from 200 million in January.

Windows executive Terry Myerson shared the news today, adding that people have spent a combined 75 billion hours using Windows 10 since its launch in summer 2015. He also said that Microsoft has been "humbled" by the response to Windows 10, adding that it is enjoying the fastest-ever adoption pace for any consumer or enterprise Windows operating system.

The next Windows 10 update, meanwhile, is called "Anniversary," and it will be free for all Windows 10 users this summer across PC and Xbox One. The Xbox One is a Windows 10 device, as November 2015's New Xbox One Experience update introduced Windows 10 as the underlying operating system for the console.

When the Anniversary update arrives this summer on Xbox One, it will allow all consoles to act as development kits, Myerson confirmed. Microsoft has for a long time promised this feature is coming, but this is the first time we're hearing about a release window for it.

It remains to be seen how this will work. Xbox boss Phil Spencer is scheduled to speak at Build later this week, and this might be one of the topics he discusses.

On PC, the Anniversary update adds improved support for stylus pens and introduces a biometric sign-in option for the Edge browser. It also adds support for Microsoft's Hololens augmented reality headset.

For more on Microsoft's Build conference and today's announcements, check out GameSpot sister site CNET's coverage.