Update (Feb 25, 2017): The Creators Update is now expected to be version 1703, instead of 1704. We have corrected the article to reflect the change.
Original article from 2nd January, 2017 follows below:
Last October at the Windows 10 event in New York City, Microsoft officially unveiled the Windows 10 Creators Update, codenamed “Redstone 2.” At the event, Microsoft stated that the update will be released in “early 2017” but we didn’t know when exactly the update will arrive.
Until now, anyway.
Per my sources, Microsoft will be releasing the Windows 10 Creators Update this April. The update will have a version number of 1703. Even though the version number indicates a March 2017 release, we are told the update will be released in April 2017.
Like the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft will gradually roll out the Creators Update to ensure the best experience for Windows 10 users, but users will be able to manually upgrade to the Creators Update if they want to.
Creators Update should be “feature locked” by the end of January
Microsoft is currently in the process of finalizing things for the Windows 10 Creators Update. The Creators Update is expected to be “feature locked” by mid/late January or early February which means most of the shipping features will be present by that period. That certainly doesn’t mean that the update is “complete” per se, as Microsoft will be working on polishing the new features and fixing bugs before the release.
The company has already started planning for the next update, codenamed “Redstone 3” which is expected to bring a range of new features, including an improved design language for the OS. I was told that Redstone 3 is planned to be released before the end of 2017, but things are in the very early stage of development, so there isn’t a set date just yet.
Do keep in mind that these are Microsoft’s internal plans, and the company may change their plans whenever they want. But at this point of development, it’s unlikely their plans will see any major change.
