Are you ready for Windows 10X?
Back in 2019, Mircosoft announced Windows 10X, an updated version of Windows for dual-screen devices. It promised that the newest edition of Windows will be sleek, simpler, and quicker than the previous ones.
While Windows 10 was originally all set to work with dual-screen gadgets, the plans were abandoned after Covid19 turned the entire world upside down. The tech giant’s top priority at the moment is to get Windows 10X rolling on single screen devices by July 2021.
Windows 10X is likely to debut on midrange devices. As per reports, Microsoft is also updating the OS to make it more flexible for low-end machines.
Latest on the Horizon
According to Windows Central’s journalist Zac Bowden, the RTM candidate for the latest Windows has already been finalized. So now, Microsoft and OEM vendors will start working on the devices with Windows 10X.
Trying to confirm, but I believe the final build of Windows 10X has been compiled at build 20279. MS will continue to fix bugs internally between now and when the first 10X devices start shipping.
— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) December 11, 2020
Initial reports are also indicating that Windows 10X won’t come with native support for Win32 desktop applications. As per sources, Windows 10X compatibility levels with Win32 apps were not impressive. Due to this, Microsoft decided to focus on Windows 10X without Win32 support.
See: Will Microsoft add Android support to Windows 10 next year?
Microsoft is also believed to be developing “Cloud PC,” a premium Cloud PC remote windows experience service for businesses. This Azure-powered remote desktop will allow businesses to stream their desktop apps to and from Windows 10X.
Last but not least, you won’t be able to install Windows 10X on your current hardware. It will only ship with new devices.
Windows 10X feature to expect
By now, you must be pretty familiar with Windows 10X features (newest and updates). Still, here’s a rundown of what you should expect:
New Start Menu
This has become pretty standard. Every new Windows release comes with a new Start Menu. The latest updates to Start Menu consist of an attractive set of colored icons that will “fuel a new era of productivity.”
Besides, Windows 10X is ditching the flat aesthetic live tiles and replacing them with a much simpler experience due to fewer customization options.
New Action Center
The new release comes with a new Action Center. Visually, it’s split up into various “panels” with quick settings at the bottom. You will be able to configure some of these settings within the Action Center, such as Wi-Fi, Ease of Access, Bluetooth, without being taken to the Windows Settings app first.
It also has a new music control panel that appears every time any app is playing some audio.
Faster Windows Updates
Now, this is a much-needed upgrade. Windows 10Xwill be technically separate from it’s OS components. This will allow the new Windows to handle updates faster than the traditional versions.
See: Microsoft hopes Windows PCs protection with Pluton security chip
According to Microsoft, Windows 10x will download and apply updates within 90 seconds. The update package will be downloaded in a different partition and moved to another before being used for update during the reboot.
Better Security
Thankfully, security will receive a big boost with Windows 10X. Any newly installed application won’t be able to tinker with Windows System files. Apps will run within 3 unique containers – UWP, Win 32, and Full-trust MSIX containers.
Thus they will be isolated from the rest of the OS. This will provide much better protection against rootkit-like viruses and malware. It will also help with stability by reducing crashes.
Take a look at Windows 10X. #MicrosoftEvent @windows @carmenzlateff pic.twitter.com/8FsIspI5ld
— Microsoft Surface (@surface) October 2, 2019
Want to try the new Windows 10X for dual-screen devices? Check out Microsoft’s newly released emulator. You can install it on Windows 10 Enterprise and Pro edition.
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