With Microsoft's cloud services booming in a COVID-19 world, it appears the company is taking a step further with what it offers. Microsoft is creating a service called "Cloud PC," which was revealed after its work-in-progress website emerged online.

What Is Microsoft Cloud PC?

News of this feature arrived on the @_h0x0d_ Twitter account. The tweet shows several screenshots of a website that offers cloud PC services.

The tweet shows that the service isn't quite complete yet, with missing elements and test parameters. As such, it's unlikely that Microsoft will officially announce this service soon.

You can see the website for yourself at cloudpc.microsoft.com. The website will direct you to a Microsoft login page. However, if you try to log in with a personal account, the website gives the following error:

You can't sign in here with a personal account. Use your work or school account instead.

@_h0x0d_ delved further into the website and found some code covering each of the plans that Microsoft has in store.

By the looks of the plans, each one is described with work-oriented terms. It appears the primary use for these PCs are for calculation and rendering.

What Is Microsoft Planning With Cloud PC?

We don't have a lot to go on with the shreds of information we have, but two points go hand-in-hand. First, you can only sign into the website if you have an email address given to you by a workplace or school. Second, the plans are described in terms that are work-focused instead of for entertainment purposes.

This tells us that Microsoft is preparing a cloud PC service, but not along the lines of current popular options such as Shadow, GeForce Now, and Paperspace. While these services are either mostly or wholly entertainment-focused, Microsoft's service appears to only be for productivity and learning.

This makes more sense when you remember how Microsoft is moving forward in this new COVID-19 world. Microsoft has made a huge profit from the pandemic by targeting remote work and study niches. This includes cloud-based services and products for stay-at-home workers and students.

As such, if we put all the pieces together, Microsoft's Cloud PC service appears to be a way for people to run work-related system-intensive processes on any PC. For instance, someone with a Chromebook could hire a cloud PC to process lots of data or render 3D graphics for a project.

This strategy makes sense, given the current economic climate. Many people are going through unemployment, and those still with jobs may have reduced hours or on furlough. If someone wanted to get into 3D design, they might not have the funds to purchase a PC strong enough to render intense graphics.

As such, Cloud PC is a good bet. People who need beefier computers for work don't need to shell out during a tough time. They can purchase a cheap PC, then subscribe to a cloud plan to access stronger hardware.

Microsoft's Head Is in the Clouds

While we don't have a lot of information to go off of right now, Microsoft's mysterious Cloud PC website seems to be an answer to the growing demand for hardware in a work-from-home world. As to what the full service will look like, only time will tell.

That's not to say that Microsoft's approach to the cloud isn't wholly focused on productivity. The company also announced that its Xbox streaming service, Project xCloud, is headed to PC and Xbox consoles.

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