Microsoft has decided to make several changes to Windows 10 based on criticism from several antivirus vendors. The company has also promised to work closer with the antivirus software developers.
Previously the antivirus companies complained that Microsoft tried to unfairly compete with them through the default virusscanner in Windows 10, Windows Defender. Besides that, they also complained that Microsoft didn't properly communicate new feature updates and that was hard for antivirus companies to warn users that their paid subscription expired or was about to expire.
Microsoft has now announced that it will work closer with antivirus companies so they can make their software compatible before future feature updates are released to end users. Users will only receive the feature updates of Windows 10 when the antivirus software continues to work after the update.
The software giant will also give more insights in the planning of feature updates. This way the antivirus developers have more time to test with the final version of a feature update. The antivirus companies will also get the possibility to show their own warnings and notifications in Windows when the subscription of the virusscanner is about to expire or has already expired.
Besides that, Microsoft also changed the way in which it informs Windows users that their virusscanner has expired and that they are no longer protected. In this case the user will receive a screen that remains visible till the user decides to either extend their subscription or decides to use Windows Defender or an antivirus product of another company.
