So Windows XP was great, then Windows Vista was not great, then Windows 7 was great, then windows 8 not great, Windows 10 was great, and now windows 11…? Microsoft has announced Windows 11, the next generation of Windows, Codenamed Sun Valley. But there’s plenty of exciting stuff out there in Windows 11 that you must be itching to try out. In this article, we will discuss everything about windows 11. And we also will be answering one central question will you have to pay for Windows once again?
Windows 11: Top New Features
- UI Revamp
The whole aesthetic is refreshed, pretty dramatically, so we have a new design that we might describe as very glassy as there’s a lot of shiny-ness and transparency and glassy, translucent elements things happening. It reminds us of Windows Vista, but it is much brighter and lighter.
Microsoft has also added rounded corners for UI components across the operating system. Speaking of other improvements, Microsoft has added new wallpapers and a new start-up sound.
- Start Menu And Action Center
There is a new start menu in Windows 11, centered, by default, but you can always move it back over to the left if you want. It has a glassy look; it also now has suggestions for apps and documents open that we have opened or used recently.
Like how on Android, we can swipe over to see a Google discover page, or on iOS, we can swipe over to see widgets with information; we could now do this on Windows 11. You can swipe over, and you get a bunch of widgets with information customized by AI. You can see things like weather and news stories and social posts all over here.
With Windows 11, Microsoft redesigned the Action Centre and improved its design and functionality. For instance, you don’t have to open the Settings page to switch Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth devices on Windows 11. Instead, you can expand these menus without leaving the Action Centre.
- Microsoft Teams v/s Skype, A Billion Dollar Gamble
Microsoft Teams is now built into Windows natively; it’s their communication app to use as much as possible. But also, Microsoft owns Skype, which they bought for $8.5 billion.
So when you and I think about what Microsoft could have done to make communication easier in windows, they should have used skype instead of promoting Microsoft Teams. We always thought of teams as a business app, like a corporate video conferencing app, because that’s the only thing we have used it for, and that’s why it is called Teams.
- New Windows Management Controls
This feature has to be the best feature of Windows 11. When I watched the live unveiling event of windows, I was so delighted when they introduced new management controls. You need to float your cursor over the maximize button to see the new snap assist window. That should greatly help improve the multitasking experience on Windows 11.
Super news for people who work with multiple windows open all the time, as I do.
- Android Apps On Windows 11
The most significant new thing, the most prominent, most headline-worthy new feature from Windows 11 that caught the eyes of most of us, has to do with apps. Apps are now compatible with the window management controls, and thus potentially giving access to a whole new suite of millions of apps that can run on the desktop or the laptop.
So this was made possible through a collaboration actually between Microsoft and Amazon. So, what’s going on here is it’s loading up the Amazon App Store for Android apps into the Microsoft Windows App Store, and this is all going to be run through Intel bridge technology. So those were some of the most significant new changes we will be having in Windows 11. At the moment, all the hints are pointing towards a significant revamp for Microsoft’s desktop OS and Windows 11 rebranding. We could expect a stable release of Windows 11 sometime in October 2021. Microsoft will offer free upgrades for current Windows 10 users to Windows 11. Moreover, on researching, I got to know from XDA Developers that Windows 7, Windows 8.1 users might also upgrade to Windows 11 for free (Still NO Confirmation). There’s a compatibility tool that people can use now to check if the PC they currently have will support Windows 11 or not. We will have to wait and see if all the hype and anticipation results in increased adoption for Microsoft’s next major version of Windows or not.
About the Author:
Hey there! I’m Raunak Raj from Integrated B-Tech M-Tech CSE, a very keen enthusiast in putting forth my innovative and immaculate ideas to further uplift, upskill and update people with my outstanding articles especially in the domains of sports and technology. Enjoy Reading!
