Microsoft event summary last night: Windows 11 is about to be released and outstanding features

Microsoft will reveal launch Windows 11 in an online event on June 24. The 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.

Windows, which accounts for more than 10% of Microsoft’s revenue even as the company has focused on its cloud services business. 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 PC shipments running Google’s Chrome OS also jumped.

Microsoft slams Apple, claims their store fees are lower and allows payment processing

Microsoft CEO Panos Panay compared other app stores during the Windows 11 launch. He said that, on the Windows Store, developers can use Microsoft’s payment channel, for a fee of 12%. when making a purchase. Or developers can also use their own payment channel and do not need to pay any cost to Microsoft, i.e. they will get 100% of the money of the buyer of the product.

This is clearly a slap in the face of Apple and to a lesser extent Google, the company that runs the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for mobile software that charges between 15% and 30% when a user makes a purchase. Windows game stores, like Steam, have similar fees.

In particular, Microsoft’s rival is Apple faces lawsuits from developers and regulators over this fee. Microsoft is also launching the ability to install Android apps on Windows PCs through Amazon’s Appstore platform.

“Today the world needs a more open platform,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, suggesting that big Windows apps could become a platform of their own, another statement aimed at Apple. , from Kif Leswing.

Windows 11 will support Android apps from Amazon’s App Store

Microsoft says Windows 11 will support Android apps through Amazon’s app store. That means the popular apps that 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 be signed in to your Amazon account to download those apps (that hurts Jeff Bezos :v).

Android apps run as regular apps thanks to Amazon. Though 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 a huge effort by Microsoft in its plan to realize ARM, since those applications are already 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 slowly moving to desktops on both Windows 11 and macOS.

Windows 11 minimum configuration:

• 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 add Auto HDR, which adjusts lighting and colors in the game to make images more vivid. But this feature only works on supported games and suitable devices.

Microsoft also announced the direct storage feature, which allows large games to be loaded quickly using a high-speed hard drive.

The company is also promoting Xbox Game Pass, its 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,” said Panay.

Microsoft turns Teams into a social network in Windows 11

Microsoft Teams, the company’s online meeting and chat software, received a major update making it the 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 it’s easier to join a video call right away, the same way you’d use FaceTime or Messages on Mac.

Microsoft said in April, Teams had 145 million daily active users.

Other announcements from Microsoft

Panos Panay, product manager at Microsoft, described the new operating system as “Windows that brings you closer to the things you love”.

Windows 11 will have rounded corners, a new desktop wallpaper, and a Start Menu in the middle with “recommended” apps and files like Word and Excel documents, plus a search bar. The Windows logo has also been changed to a simple square with four equally sized cells.

“Today marks an important milestone in the history of Windows,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. “It’s the beginning of a new generation.”

There are 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 provide personalized content, and it can be displayed across the entire screen by swiping from left to right.

Windows 11 operating system will deliver more performance when browsing the Internet in Microsoft’s Edge browser, helping to extend battery life. And updates will be 40% smaller, says Panay.

Windows 11 will have “snap layouts” that make it easier to move application windows to new layouts. The new “snap groups” feature in the taskbar is a group of apps that people have used in the past. And when Windows 11 users reconnect the secondary monitor to the PC, the operating system will remember which applications were used before (this feature is extremely useful for those of you who use a laptop and often move around). ).

Panay says Microsoft is integrating its Teams app directly into Windows. This addition comes a few months after Microsoft allowed 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 touchscreen tablet Surface – the company is making it easier to adjust the size of application windows. For stylus users, the company is developing a haptic feedback feature. The on-screen virtual keyboard 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 give way to more traditional Win32 apps, along with the popular Progressive Web Apps and Universal Windows Platform, and developers can use their own commercial channel. Apps can appear in the store without paying any Microsoft fees.

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 Android Samsung devices to run Android apps on Windows.

Panay told live stream viewers to buy PCs that are “Windows 11 pre-installed”.

And these are all the announcements made by Microsoft during the Windows 11 launch event, if I missed any information, please comment so I can know.

Quick summary of new Windows 11 features

Quick summary from Vn-zoom:

– Taskbar refreshed with Start Menu in the middle

– Start Menu uses AI technology to display frequently used applications.

– Snap Layouts feature splits multi-layout windows.

– Feature to split multiple Desktop screens, customize the wallpaper on each Desktop (like Mac OS).

– Widgets back with Windows 11 (fine and smooth)

– Microsoft Store is refreshed with more optimized UI and UX

– Microsoft Teams is built into Windows 11

– Microsoft brings 2 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 apps right from the Microsoft Store