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Microsoft said on Wednesday that it is making Windows Update available to third-party apps. The Redmond-based software behemoth has unveiled a new Windows Update orchestration platform, which enables third-party app developers to deliver updates concurrently with Windows upgrades. According to the firm, the new platform provides various benefits to developers, including app update alerts via native Windows notifications, app updates depending on user activity to reduce CPU and bandwidth spikes, and cost savings over standalone installation procedures.
Developers may now provide app updates alongside Windows updates
In a blog post, Microsoft claims that most third-party programs manage upgrades on their own using self-created mechanisms. They not only manage the package installer, but also troubleshooting needs and update alerts, all while ensuring that updates come at an appropriate moment for user activity. The company says it aims to transform the fragmented experience into a unified updating practice.
According to the firm, the Windows Update orchestration platform would require third-party app developers to register as update providers, provide a path to the executable file with the logic to scan for new updates, and provide platform information about the update via application programming interfaces (APIs).
The orchestrator will then take over, dynamically scheduling the update's download and installation depending on user activity, system performance, battery state, and other criteria.
The IT behemoth has also outlined various advantages for developers. It will allow third-party programs to show their update alerts alongside the original Windows Update notifications, creating a centralized area to educate consumers. Users will also be able to view the app's update history in the Settings menu, and all updates will utilize the same set of logs and diagnostic data.
Developers creating corporate apps will be able to offer admin policy control for deadlines and alerts by leveraging Microsoft's technologies, according to the firm.
The Windows Update orchestration platform will handle both MSIX/APPX packaged programs and certain bespoke Win32 applications. Interested developers and app publishers may now have access to these features by joining Microsoft's private preview. However, companies must first integrate their programs' installers with APIs.
