Windows 10 gets update that allows users to disable all 'phone home' functionality

Later this year, Microsoft will release a Windows 10 update that allows users to disable data tracking and the collection of telemetry data. The reason is a heavily criticised post of a Windows 10 Enterprise Edition user that left a fresh installation of the operating system running for 8 hours and reported that the OS continuously contacted the Microsoft servers. windows-10.-phone-laptop

The 'analysis' received a lot of criticism from Windows experts because according to them the tests weren't properly conducted. A more in depth analysis found that the connections could be explained by DNS lookups, Time server connections, IPv6 connections that couldn't be made due to no support of the user's router, the Software Licensing Service that checks if the license is valid, checks by Windows Defender for updates and incoming requests on port 80 (which Microsoft has nothing to do with anyway). Only a little part of the transmitted data is actually telemetry data and because that's encrypted, it's not possible to see what is sent.

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After all the criticism the user deleted his analysis but it's still available in Google Cache.

The data collection of Windows 10 has been discussed heavily for some time already and although Microsoft first didn't want to comment, a spokesman now told Forbes that the company will make it possible to disable data tracking and the collection of telemetry data. According to the spokesman the company will release the update later this year.

Nevertheless, Microsoft discourages users to switch the data collection off, for what reason the spokesman didn't explain.

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