Microsoft will reveal launched Windows 11 in an online event on June 24. This announcement comes six years after the release of Windows 10, the most widely used PC operating system in the world, with more than 1.3 billion devices in use.
📢 Join the channel Telegram belong to AnonyViet
Update new articles, cool tools and IT tips fastest
Windows, accounts for more than 10% of Microsoft’s revenue even as the company has focused on cloud services. Online services have become more important during the pandemic as people stay home and spend more time with Windows 10 for online learning, work and gaming. Microsoft reported higher Windows revenue thanks to PC users – but Apple’s Mac revenue also increased and Google’s Chrome OS PC shipments also jumped.
Microsoft takes a swipe at Apple, claiming its store fees are lower and allows for payment processing
Microsoft CEO Panos Panay compared other app stores during the Windows 11 launch. He said, on the Windows Store, developers can use Microsoft’s payment channel, with a 12% fee on purchases. Or developers can also use their own payment channel and do not need to pay any costs to Microsoft, meaning they will receive 100% of the product buyer’s money.
This is clearly a slap at Apple and to a lesser extent Google, which operates the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for mobile software that charges users between 15% and 30% of purchases. Windows game stores, like Steam, also have similar fees.
In particular, Microsoft’s competitor is Apple faces lawsuits from developers and regulators over these fees. Microsoft also launched the ability to install Android apps on Windows PCs through Amazon’s Appstore platform.
“Today the world needs a more open platform,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, suggesting that major Windows applications could become their own platforms, another statement aimed at Apple, from Kif Leswing.
Windows 11 will support Android apps from Amazon’s App Store
Microsoft said Windows 11 will support Android apps through Amazon’s app store. That means popular apps people are using on their phones will work right on the desktop, in the Start Menu.
However, it’s worth noting that the Amazon App Store doesn’t offer popular Google Android apps like Gmail, Maps, and other Google services. And according to Joanna Stern at the Wall Street Journal, you have to log into your Amazon account to download those apps (this is a bit of a pain, Jeff Bezos :v).
Android apps run as regular apps thanks to Amazon. Although this download process sounds a bit wonky, at least at first: pic.twitter.com/qELV0fhRMc
— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) June 24, 2021
However, this could be Microsoft’s huge effort in its plan to realize ARM, as those applications have been designed to work on mobile processors.
Similar to how Apple supports iPhone and iPad apps running on the new M1 chip. The mobile apps that people use all day on their phones are gradually moving to the desktop on both major platforms, Windows 11 and macOS.
Minimum configuration of Windows 11:
- 64-bit processor
- 1Ghz clock speed | 2 cores
- 64GB drive
- 4GB RAM
- UEFI, Secure Book capable and TPM 2.0
- 9-inch display with 1366×768 resolution
- DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM 2.x
Microsoft brings Xbox features to Windows 11
Windows 11 will have the Auto HDR feature, which adjusts lighting and colors in games to make images more vivid. But this feature only works on supported games and suitable devices.
Microsoft also announced a direct storage feature, allowing for quick downloads of large games using high-speed hard drives.
The company is also promoting Xbox Game Pass, the company’s new game subscription service that gives access to a variety of titles for a monthly fee, especially Microsoft-owned titles like Bethesda.
Previously, these features were available early on the latest version of Xbox.
“If you are a gamer, Windows 11 is made for you,” Panay said.
Microsoft turns Teams into a social network in Windows 11
Microsoft Teams, the company’s online chat and meeting software, gets a major update that turns it into a social networking app in Windows 11.
During the launch, Microsoft placed the chat interface in independent windows. The people you interact with most often will appear as popup windows on the taskbar. Microsoft Teams is also getting more online conferencing features, and you can more easily jump right into a video call, the same way you use FaceTime or Messages on Mac.
Microsoft said in April Teams had 145 million daily active users.
Other announcements from Microsoft
Panos Panay, Microsoft’s chief product officer, described the new operating system as “Windows bringing you closer to the things you love.”
Windows 11 will have rounded corners, a new desktop wallpaper, and a centered Start Menu with “recommended” apps and files like Word and Excel documents, along with a search bar. The Windows logo has also been changed to a simple square with four equal-sized boxes.
“Today marks an important milestone in the history of Windows,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. ”It is the beginning of a new generation.”
There’s also Windows Widgets, a feature pack of news, weather and other information that was introduced during the event. The Widgets feature uses artificial intelligence to deliver personalized content, and it can be displayed across the entire screen by swiping from left to right.
The Windows 11 operating system will deliver better performance when browsing the Internet in Microsoft’s Edge browser, resulting in longer battery life. And updates will be 40% smaller, Panay said.
Windows 11 will have “snap layouts” that make it easy to move application windows to new layouts. The new “snap groups” feature in the taskbar is to group apps that people have used before. And when Windows 11 users reconnect the secondary screen to the PC, the operating system will remember which applications have been used before (this feature is extremely rare for those who use laptops and often move).
Panay said Microsoft is integrating its Teams app directly into Windows. This addition comes months after Microsoft enabled people to quickly create video calls in Windows through the Skype app.
For those who are using an operating system without a keyboard – like on a touch screen tablet Surface – the company is making it easier to adjust the size of app windows. For stylus users, the company is developing a haptic feedback feature. The virtual keyboard displayed on the screen has also been redesigned.
Microsoft also revamped the app store, which Panay describes as “the safest and most secure way for you to get your apps on Windows.” This will make way for more traditional Win32 apps, along with popular Progressive Web Apps and Universal Windows Platform, and developers can use their own commercial channels. Apps can appear in the store without paying any billing fees to Microsoft.
Additionally, Android apps are coming to Windows and can be accessed from the taskbar, Panay said. This feature builds on efforts through the Your Phone app to allow owners of certain Samsung Android devices to run Android apps on Windows.
Panay told viewers of the livestream to buy PCs that “pre-run Windows 11.”
And here are all of Microsoft’s announcements during the Windows 11 launch event. If I missed any information, please comment to let me know.
Quick summary of new features of Windows 11
Quick summary from Vn-zoom:
– The Taskbar is refreshed with the Start Menu in the middle
– Start Menu uses AI technology to display commonly used applications.
– Snap Layouts feature divides multi-layout windows.
– Feature to split multiple Desktop screens, customize wallpaper on each Desktop (like Mac OS).
– Widgets return to Windows 11 (better and smoother)
– Microsoft Store is refreshed with more optimized UI and UX
– Microsoft Teams is built into Windows 11
– Microsoft brings two features on Xbox Series X/S, Auto HDR and DirectStorage, to Windows 11. Auto HDR helps automatically convert SDR game graphics to HDR.
– Users can download Android applications right from the Microsoft Store
Frequently asked questions
When will Windows 11 be released?
Windows 11 was announced by Microsoft on June 24, but the official release date has not been specifically revealed.
Does Windows 11 support Android apps?
Yes, Windows 11 supports Android apps through the Amazon Appstore. However, not all Android apps are available.
What are the minimum configuration requirements of Windows 11?
Minimum requirements include a 64-bit 1 GHz processor with 2 cores, 4GB of RAM, 64GB hard drive, 9-inch display with 1366×768 resolution, UEFI, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0 and DirectX 12 / WDDM 2.x compatible graphics card.
