Microsoft had some time back paused its October 2018 Update to fix some issues. This raised eyebrows as this was the first time update was pulled back and paused temporarily. Microsoft has now re-released the October 2018 and has also given us a glimpse of how the company validates Windows quality before release.
Windows Update quality getting better
Microsoft claims to work continuously to improve the quality of Windows and deliver on their Windows as a Service approach. Windows quality is of paramount as the entire Windows ecosystem depends on it. Currently, Windows 10 has more than 700 million monthly active devices and 16 million unique hardware/driver combination.
The Shift to Windows as a Service
As most of us are already aware, Microsoft opted to offer Windows as a service. This meant that the responsibility of base functional testing was assigned to the development team. Furthermore, the focus of the team was changed in order to address feedback born from consumer experiences. According to Microsoft this combination of testing, engagement programs, feedback, telemetry, real-life insight spread across various modules.
Continued product quality improvement trend
Microsoft keeps track of Customer Incident Rate for each release. The graph above shows how the Customer Incident Rate has dropped to a very low level in the recent releases. To increase the quality, Microsoft invests in customer and partner planning feedback. That apart the company also deploys a variety of automated testing processes which help them detect and fix issues quickly.
Microsoft also has key testing partners to validate in-market and in-development releases in large scale. The list of key testing partners include
- External testing labs with global, continuous coverage for application compatibility, hardware, and peripherals
- ISVs for a range of apps including Anti-Virus (AV)
- OEMs partner with us to test and ensure quality across a vast array of systems, devices, and drivers
The graph above is a testimony to Microsoft’s commitment. It shows the number of drivers deployed in each month and June tops the list with 15000 drivers.
In a nutshell, the folks at Microsoft have set up an extensive testing environment to make sure that the final release is bug-free and works as intended.
