Crazy: Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 offered a feature update to 1903

[German]Are they a little confused in Redmond? Now the LTSC versions of Windows 10 Enterprise already got offered feature updates to May 2019 update. Specifically, it is Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 that is offered the feature update to version 1903 due to a bug in the UUP system.

Background: Windows 10 LTSC versions

LTSC stands for Long-Term Servicing Channel (formerly also referred to as Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB)). This is a long-term support version of Windows 10 based on the Enterprise edition. The LTSC version lacks features like Cortana, Edge and the UWP apps (everything Microsoft likes to update in Windows 10).

Microsoft is committed to providing bug fixes and security patches for each LTSC version over a 10-year period. Instead of pushing out feature updates every 6 months (as with Windows 10 SAC), Microsoft releases a new Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC version every 2-3 years. Companies can install these new LTSC versions optionally as in-place upgrades on a machine – whereby the license conditions of Microsoft are to be considered then (only with a software assurance contract an upgrade is covered – in other cases a new license would have to be bought).

Microsoft has planned the LTSC versions for applications where nothing changes to Windows 10 (e.g. in devices, ATMs etc.), but not for office environments. In such environments, all feature updates for new LTSC versions over the 10-year lifecycle will be ignored.

According to this website Microsoft has so far released the LTSC versions from the table above. The left column shows the LTSC names, while the middle column shows the Windows 10 counterpart on whose code basis the LTSC version is based.

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019: Feature update to V1903 offered

On a Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 installation, which is based on Windows 10 Version 1809 (see table above), should therefore never be offered a feature update. Some users were astonished when exactly this happened and a feature update to Windows 10 May 2019 Update (Version 1903) was offered via Windows Update.

What's happening?
️Anyone from Microsoft can explain?
❗️It is proposed to update Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019, Version 1809 to the new Windows 10, Version 1903, #May2019Update
but don't be afraid, nothing will happen now, but it looks scary!
p.s: I hope it won't happen! pic.twitter.com/DWEZWHgyd4

— WZor (@WZorNET) 14. Juni 2019

WZor has documented this extensively in a tweet with several screenshots. But also the colleagues of German site deskmodder.de got a similar user comment, as they write here. Of course it's totally crazy because there is no LTSC version of Windows 10 Enterprise based on the core of Windows 10 Version 1903.

If you initiate the download and installation of the feature update via the link on the Windows Update page, you will then experience the second surprise: nothing is happening. Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC notices that something is wrong and downloads nothing.

The offering of the 1903 feature update on a 2019 LTSC is a bug in the MSFT UUP system, it won't install.

— KB0000001 (@kb0000001) 14. Juni 2019

Of course, there is someone who explains that behavior- there is a bug in the UUP system (Microsoft's Unified Update Platform). The feature update is displayed but not downloaded and installed. Wzor was lucky – but people may have gotten a fright already. Some people are asking whether the manufacturer still has control over what leaves 'the workbench'.

Addendum: I got a feedback from a German user (see my German blog post, comment from 44Fove), that his Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 1607 has been offered this feature update too.