San Francisco, May 8 (IANS): Microsoft reportedly won't be bringing its Windows 10X operating system variant to market as it has now been shelved, in favour of improving Windows 10 instead.

According to The Verge, citing Petri, Windows 10X will no longer ship this year, and the OS will likely never arrive in its current form.

The company had originally been planning to deliver Windows 10X, a more lightweight and simplified version of Windows, alongside new dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo. That was before the pandemic hit, and Microsoft decided to prioritise Windows 10X for single-screen laptops instead.

The switch was designed to position Windows 10X as more of a Chrome OS competitor. Windows 10X included a simplified interface, an updated Start menu without Live Tiles, multitasking improvements, and a special app container for performance and security.

Microsoft's overall goal with 10X was to create a stripped-back, streamlined and modern cloud-powered version of Windows.

Microsoft has always seen Chromebooks as a big threat in businesses and schools, but over the past year, there has been a big increase in demand for regular Windows laptops.

Despite a global chip shortage, the PC market hasn't slowed down during the pandemic, the report said.

Microsoft has directly benefited from increased Windows revenue. Windows OEM revenue grew by 10 per cent in the recent quarter, reflecting strong consumer PC demand. Windows non-pro OEM revenue also grew by 44 per cent.