Today Microsoft revealed some of the features consumers are expected to see in Windows 10 when it is released later this year. I will probably do a more detailed post when I have some more time to digest the info but here are the headlines from today (so far):

  • The feedback from Windows 10 Insiders has influenced Windows 10 development
  • For the first year of Windows 10, Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for Windows 8.1
  • Free upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows Phone 8.1, so Windows 10 will replace Windows Phone 8.1
  • Windows 7 will get the upgrade for free for the first year
  • Windows 10 has new full screen start for tablets
  • New look Action Center that you can interact with (see screen below)
  • Continuum, so can go from tablet mode to desktop mode. Full screen when in a tablet and windowed on a desktop
  • In tablet mode Win32 apps work like modern apps so you can drag down to close etc
  • Full desktop mode on a small tablet if you want it to
  • Cortana in Windows 10, it looks like the same UI as the phone version and sits in the task bar. I noticed you could trigger it by saying “Hey Cortana”, you can use to do so things like play music and load apps
  • Universal apps coming to Xbox One
  • Windows 10’s UI is tailored to the device size
  • Action Center on the phone is synced with the PC
  • Settings is the same app for phone, small tablets and the PC
  • IP based messaging eg Skype integrated into the messaging app, very much like iMessage
  • Microsoft showed a preview of touch enabled Office, with the ribbon in the action bar at the bottom of the screen. Full office document support and included on the Phone OS
  • A new Outlook universal mail and calendar app with the full word engine, works with Windows Phone and the PC. Hopefully will replace the rubbish Windows 8 mail app
  • A new Universal Calendar app
  • There is a new photos app linked to OneDrive with automatic album creation
  • New people app

More to come later where we will talk about the new devices and experiences

Action Center:

Full screen start:

Cortana on Windows 10:

New Windows Phone UI

Office for Windows Phone:

PowerPoint

A new photos app

Leave a Reply