(*11*) 11 has been available for about six months now, and while it has required an internet connection for the Home edition since its release, Microsoft left the offline option for (*11*) 11 Pro, since it's the version of the operating system used by IT professionals. - but those days are coming to an end.
In the latest preview of (*11*) 11, Microsoft notes that (*11*) 11 Pro now requires an internet connection when you first set up your device. For now, that's where it is, but Microsoft notes that in the future "you can expect the Microsoft account to be required."
It's unclear exactly when this update to the actual live version of (*11*) 11 will ship, but it's likely to be sometime this year. So if you have a device where you want to have a completely offline installation of (*11*) 11, you may want to install it soon.
Analysis: not everyone has internet? Who cares?
These days, with so many of the services we use every day coming online, it's easy to wonder who this will really affect. However, not everyone has internet.
This could have a negative effect on users in parts of the world without reliable internet, and on IT professionals who like to be in full control of the devices they deploy to their user bases.
(*11*) 11 Home, due to its internet connection requirement, is already a nightmare for users in any of these situations, but now that the requirement is also moved to (*11*) 11 Pro, it reduces the appeal of the operating system.
It's another move that will give Microsoft more access to data, which makes a lot of sense. But that comes at the expense of comfort for a lot of people. And there are definitely people who will be stuck with (*11*) 10 devices due to their lack of access to stable or reliable internet connections.
I'm using (*11*) 11 Pro on my lab test bench precisely because I can install it without an internet connection and I don't have to go through a lengthy login process to get it working. For hardware reviewers like me, this change will just mean a lot of wasted time, though I'll probably keep the installation media from a previous version and then update the system after installation. Hope this fixes my problem for a while.
Through (*11*) Central