If you've ever had a Mac that had become completely corrupted, or if you simply deleted the disk partitions, then you've probably discovered that Apple has a built-in solution. When you try to boot up the Mac, it will simply connect to the internet, download the version of macOS that came with your PC, and take you through the process of installing it.
Windows users have never had it this easy, in the fragmented world of OEMs. Windows 10 has a built-in function to reset the PC using an image on the device, but that can be problematic if you're on a Windows Insider build, or if that image gets corrupted. You can download a copy of Windows 10 for free, but if you want the one that your OEM provided complete with drivers, that can be a problem too. For example, Lenovo only lets you download a recovery image for your device once; if you need it again, you're out of luck. Some smaller OEMs don't even offer them.
It seems that Microsoft has an idea in mind now that's more similar to what Apple does. As discovered by Microsoft leakster WalkingCat, you'll have the option to 'cloud download' Windows 10, or restore from the local image.
Presumably, using the option to cloud download Windows 10 will download the latest production version of the operating system, rather than the one that you're on. It could be an easy way to step off of Windows Insider Previews from the Fast ring, which are currently previews for a feature update that's not coming until next spring. It could also be an easy way to do a clean installation when upgrading from an old version to a new one.
This new feature is apparently in Windows 10 build 18950, which isn't available to the public just yet. Right now, the Fast ring is testing build 18945, so maybe we'll see it this week.
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