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Major software announced a new Windows event on June 24 yesterday, promising to show "what's next for Windows." The invitation to the event included a photo of what looks like a new Windows logo, light shining through a window in two vertical bars, creating a frame that looks like number 11. Microsoft followed up with a portable version of this image, making it clear that the company deliberately ignored the horizontal barriers.
Join us on June 24 at 11 a.m. ET to #MicrosoftEvent
- Windows (@Windows) June 2, 2021
The Microsoft Windows event also starts at 11 a.m. ET, not the typical start time for standard Windows and Surface events. Following the invitation to the event, Microsoft exec Yusuf Mehdi said, "he has not enjoyed this new version of Windows since Windows 95!" This is the first time we have heard Microsoft directly mention the "new version" of Windows on the go.
The invitation to the event came again just a week after Nadella mocked the announcement of the "next generation of Windows." Nadella has promised that Microsoft will soon share "one of the most important updates to Windows over the past decade." Microsoft's chief product officer, Panos Panay, also mocked Windows "next-generation" earlier this year.
If Microsoft is truly preparing to move beyond Windows 10 and look into Windows 11, we expect to see major changes in the display to show that. Microsoft has been working on Sun Valley, which the company has dubbed the "Windows Update."
Major UI changes are coming to Windows.
Many of these visual changes will appear in work done by Microsoft on Windows 10X, a lightweight version of Windows that aims to challenge Chrome OS before it is deleted. That includes a new start menu, new program icons, File Explorer upgrades, and end-time Windows 95 icons that drag Windows users back into the dialog boxes. Round corners and updates to Windows built-in apps are also set.
Major changes are on the way to Windows beyond the user interface. Microsoft seems ready to deal with pending issues, with plans to redesign multiple-members applications, the upcoming Xbox Auto HDR feature, and improved Bluetooth audio support.
Probably the biggest problem waiting to be fixed in the Windows Store. Microsoft has been working on a new Windows app store for the past few months, and rumors indicate that it will be largely up to date. Nadella has promised to "open up greater economic opportunities for developers and creators" through Windows, and the Windows Store seems to be the obvious way to do just that.
Microsoft is reportedly restoring its Windows app store to allow developers to deploy any Windows operating system, including browsers such as Channel or Firefox. This will greatly improve the store itself, but Microsoft may consider allowing third-party trading platforms in applications. That would mean that Microsoft will not cut off the engineers who use their in-app purchases.
Some of the changes Microsoft has developed for Windows 10X are now coming to Windows.
To date, Microsoft has only announced cuts to 12% of PC games in the Windows Store, but allowing developers to bypass Microsoft cuts could be a major change.
Moving to Windows 11 branding will also save Microsoft re-installation on Windows. Last year, the software developer expressed a renewed interest in Windows when an epidemic showed how important the app is. Windows usage is on the rise as staff and students worldwide turn to laptops and PCs for homework. PC exports have also increased over the past year.
After cutting Windows into two parts back in 2018, Microsoft brought back parts of Windows development under the control of Panos Panay last year. The move clearly acknowledged that Microsoft's Windows split did not work after months of advanced Windows 10 experience, Windows update updates, lack of major new features, and many Windows update issues.
Moving to Windows 11 can be a great step for Microsoft. The company previously referred to Windows 10 as the "latest version of Windows" in its main push to set up the OS as a constantly updated service. While there are monthly updates for Windows, the most important changes are usually submitted twice a year.
Microsoft Surface Laptop
The new version of Windows always helps to increase PC sales. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Microsoft has been having trouble compiling these updates, however. We've seen updates for Windows 10 Anniversary, Update Creators Update, and days as simple as November 2019. Update Microsoft has recently adopted another naming program, with updates like 20H1 or 21H1 showing the release and half-year updates.
Moving to Windows 11 would not eliminate Microsoft's naming issues. Still, if the company also accepts the release of points like Windows 11.1, it can help IT buyers and managers quickly understand the latest version.
OEMs can also be happy to see the release of Windows 11. The new version of Windows is always driving new hardware sales with an updated interest in the operating system. If Microsoft backs it up with a new UI and a new look and feels for Windows, it will be the standard playbook we've seen in Windows for decades.
It didn't take long to determine if Microsoft was ready to dial the Windows version number until 11. The Windows event (as I call it now) will start at 11 a.m. ET on June 24, and The Verge will cover all the live news as it happens.