Rumors had
suggested that it wouldn’t be called Windows 9, and they were right. It’s fair
to say that Windows 8 has not been a universal success. In many ways a
necessary step not terribly well executed, Windows 8’s attempt to stitch
together desktop and mobile has been way too radical to encourage new users.
And as the longer life of existing PCs and laptops combines with the growth of
smartphones and tablets to continually slow PC sales, the operating system has
come to be seen as a dud.
This means
two things: a new and improved Windows in the fastest possible time and a jump
in version numbers to put Windows 10 well away from Windows 8.
As
Microsoft’s Terry Myerson put it: “We also know that the world today is very different
from the one in which Windows grew up”. Today, devices outnumber people. Connectivity
is like oxygen. It’s time for a new Windows.
This new Windows
must be built from the ground-up for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. This new
Windows must help our customers be productive in both their digital work and their
digital life. This new Windows must empower people and organizations to do
great things. “Windows 10 will run across an incredibly broad set of devices –
from the Internet of Things, to servers in enterprise data centers worldwide.
Some of these
devices have 4in screens – some have 80in screens – and some don’t have screens
at all. Some of these devices you hold in your hand, others are 10 feet away.
Some of these devices you primarily use touch/pen, others mouse/keyboard,
others controller/ gesture – and some devices can switch between input types.
We’re not talking about one UI to rule them all – we’re talking about one
product family, with a tailored experience for each device.” What this means in
practice is that the next generation of Windows software – apps – will be
universal.
In theory, a
developer will be able to produce an app which will run on your Windows Phone
10 smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC. While the interface will scale and change
depending on the screen size and whether or not it’s a touchscreen, it will be
the same app underneath. Microsoft badly needs to keep businesses on side and
this is why it has made the Technical Preview available so early. Anyone who
wants to download it from Microsoft and try out the new features
and interface, which includes the return of the Start menu.
Windows 10 features:
Expanded
Start menu: Windows 10 will look and work a lot more like Windows 7 than 8,
and it will be a place where traditional and modern apps happily coexist. There
are no longer separate desktops. The Start menu is much like a smaller version
of the Windows 8 Start screen and you’ll be able to resize it. The operating
system will include the same search as you get in Windows 8, so as well as
local results you’ll see websites and other relevant online information.
Apps that run
in a window: Modern apps will run on the desktop in a Window, just as Microsoft
had hinted previously. This might sound obvious if there’s only one desktop,
but it means that there’s now no real distinction between traditional Windows
software such as Excel or Photoshop and apps from the Windows store. All apps can
be resized and moved around the desktop and have title bars so they can be
minimized to the task bar.
Snap
improvements: The snap function with which you’re already familiar in Windows
7 and 8 has been improved and will work with all apps, new and old. A new
layout means you can snap up to four apps on the same screen. A new feature
called Snap Assist shows other apps and programs running and will suggest how
to fill unused screen space with other open apps.
Task View: There’s a new
button on the taskbar called Task View. Press it and you’ll see a thumbnail of
all the apps that are open. It’s very much like Mac OS X’s Expose feature, and
that’s a good thing. It’s Microsoft’s way of helping novice users to get
familiar and proficient with multitasking.
Multiple
desktops: Windows 10 will also support multiple desktops, instead of requiring
you to download extra software. These virtual desktops are ideal for keeping more
apps open and quickly switching between them, even if you have only one physical
monitor.
Improved
command prompt: One for the geeks, this, but finally you can copy and paste
directories into the command prompt.
Touch mode: The new
version of Windows is about making those who were unhappy with Windows 8 happy.
The focus is very much about the keyboard and mouse, but those who have devices
with touch capabilities haven’t been forgotten. If you’re on a device such as a
two-inone hybrid – think Surface tablet – you’ll see what looks like a
redesigned Windows 8 Start screen. There are all the live tiles you’re used to,
but you still get the task bar and new Start menu to retain a feeling of unity
with the desktop.
Why is it called Windows 10?: During a short Q&A
session after the briefing, Myerson
made it clear that the next version
of Windows Phone – after 8.1 – would be
10 and said, “when you see the product in
its fullness I think you’ll agree with us that [Windows 10
is] a more appropriate name.”
Release date and price: We had anticipated the
next version of Windows to launch
in April 2015, but it will be “later in the year” in 2015. No information was
given on pricing, but a Microsoft executive in India has said it will be free
for Windows 8 users. Myerson stated at the Windows 10 briefing that the
finished product is a long way off, but the intention was to make it available
for as many devices as possible, suggesting that those with Windows Phone 8 and
Surface RT would be able to update to Windows 10 as well as full Windows 8
tablets, plus laptops and PCs.
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