The report comes from Neowin who cite unnamed sources. It was later verified by sources working with revered Microsoft journalist Mary Jo Foley in another report.
Not much is currently known about “Windows Redstone.” The update will be delivered automatically to computers running Windows 10 and will be larger than a typical Windows update. It will deliver new functionality and features to Windows 10 and will not be a full release of Windows.
Many of these features are likely to have had their release postponed from the main Windows 10 launch. Microsoft is now finalizing the operating system before it hits the RTM (release to manufacturers) stage in the near future ahead of the summer release to consumers.
Features that are not ready for the Windows 10 RTM will be pushed back to one of the “Redstone” updates. These will be released in two stages in June and October of 2016.
Mary Jo Foley reports for ZDNet that the Windows Insiders program will allow early access to “Redstone” before its general release, like with Windows 10 today. A Microsoft spokesperson told Foley that they had nothing to share regarding the Redstone codename.
The codename itself is likely to derive from the game Minecraft, which Microsoft acquired last year. In the game, redstone is used to build advanced circuitry and electronics. It is possible that we will see more Minecraft codenames from Microsoft in the future.
Other recent Windows codenames include “Blue” before the launch of Windows 8.1 and “Threshold” which is what Windows 10 was known as before its public unveiling.
“Redstone” will be Microsoft’s first test of its new “faster release cadence” that it has talked about in the past. Consumers will find their devices are automatically upgraded to include new features that didn’t make it into the original Windows 10 release build. It is unknown how Redstone will affect phones running Windows 10.
Although nothing is currently known of what features will be in the summer release and what will go to Redstone, we’ll be sure to keep you posted on the latest developments as we learn more about what Redstone entails.
