News Windows 10 end of life could prompt torrent of e-waste as 240 million devices set for scrapheap

[tom_mai78101]

Analysts have warned Windows 10 end of life plans could spark a global torrent of e-waste, with millions of devices expected to be scrapped in the coming years.

Research from Canalys shows that up to 240 million PCs globally could be terminated as a result of the shift over to Windows 11, raising critical questions about device refreshes and the responsibility of vendors to extend life cycles.

A key concern highlighted by Canalys was Microsoft’s current practices regarding Windows 11 device compatibility.

Minimum system requirements for installing Windows 11 on a PC mean users must have a processor of at least 1 GHz or faster along with a minimum of 4GB RAM. Storage requirements are also set to a minimum of 64GB.

Many of the devices set for scrapping after the Windows 10 support deadline, set for October 2025, won’t meet these requirements despite being in “good condition” and potentially recycled by enterprises.

The consultancy added that many of these 240 million devices will end up in landfill.

Windows 10 end of life could prompt torrent of e-waste as 240 million devices set for scrapheap

As Windows 10 end of life approaches, analysts are concerned that millions of devices will be scrapped due to incompatibility

www.itpro.com

 

[The Helper]

Just because a computer cannot run Windows 11 does not mean it is going to the scrap heap. None of the businesses I know of are set to scrap there computers because Windows 10 support ends. Maybe this is what the do in big corporations with huge IT but it does not make any economic sense to just trash them. Sounds like IT departments trying to find something to do.