Microsoft on Thursday officially debuted its upcoming Windows 11 operating system, complete with an all new user interface, the ability to run Android apps from the Amazon App store, and more.
The company said that the redesign puts a focus on productivity, social, and entertainment features. The new design places the Start menu in the center of the dock not dissimilar to the macOS approach, and other additions allow for easy multitasking.
the Live Tiles feature has been removed in exchange for a simple app menu, and as users open apps the Start button shifts to the left, and apps can be pinned to the bar.
Animations, sounds, and design have all been optimized for a more fluid experience. Snap Assist has a new UI that shows up when arranging windows in a grid.
In something of a change, Microsoft has now fully committed to Teams, meaning Skype is no longer pre-installed with the operating system. The “Chat” app in the Taskbar is powered by Teams and gives users the ability to chat with anyone on Windows. Upon connecting an iPhone or Android smartphone to the PC, texts can be relayed to the computer as well.
In a recent interview, Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said he’s like to have improved iPhone compatibility with Windows. This, he stated, would involve bringing iMessage or other services to Windows 11, which would depend entirely on Apple.
Other new changes and improvements include Tablets, which have bigger window control and larger touch targets. Microsoft has also added new swiping gestures for minimizing and maximizing apps.
The new Widget view houses calendars, weather, news, and other important information for easy access. Customize this view and use it as a personalized news feed.
Microsoft stated that it wants to encourage open commerce on its operating system, and will allow apps downloaded from the Windows Store to have independent commerce systems within the app. This differs from Apple’s requirements to tie in-app purchases from App Store apps to Apple’s commerce system. The company also stated that Amazon’s Android app store will be available on Windows 11, and after users sign in with their Amazon account, and install the Amazon Android App store through the Microsoft App Store, Android apps download and work as if they were Windows apps.
The company released the following system requirements for Windows 11:
- A “modern 64-bit processor” according to Microsoft
- 1Ghz clock speed
- 2 cores
- 64GB storage
- 4GB RAM
- UEFI, Secure Book capable & TPM 2.0
- 9-inch display with 1366×768 resolution
- DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM 2.x
While the system requirements state that a 64-bit processor is required, Windows 11 will still be capable of running 32-bit apps, but the operating system itself will not run on 32-bit processors.
Microsoft says a beta period will begin for testers before the end of June with the release deploying in the fall of 2021. Anyone who owns Windows 10 will be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free as long as their computer meets the minimum requirements. Windows 7 and Windows 8 installs will not be eligible for the free update.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and the Wall Street Journal