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Thursday, 23 July 2015

July 23, 2015
(Image: Microsoft)

Windows 10: 8 Things Microsoft Got Right

Windows 10 doesn't launch until July 29, but Microsoft has already proven its commitment to making up for its Windows 8 mistakes and competing in a modern tech world.

(Image: Microsoft)
It's getting down to the wire for Microsoft, which is prepping to launch its much-anticipated Windows 10 operating system one week from tomorrow -- July 29.
We've been keeping a close eye on Windows 10 since Microsoft shared its development plans at a major press event back in January. We've downloaded each preview build, navigating bugs and glitches to test new features like Cortana for desktop and the Edge browser.
Over the past few weeks, the Insider preview builds have received fewer major updates, and more minor fixes, as developers tie loose ends. Last weekMicrosoft rolled out Build 10240, which is reportedly the version shipping to PC manufacturers prior to launch day. 
Microsoft is under pressure to make Windows 10 a success. Not only is the Redmond giant working to accommodate modern enterprise customers. It has a lot of mistakes to address after rolling out the universally despised Windows 8 and 8.1.
Securing "a win with Windows 10" is integral to Microsoft's plan for its 2016 fiscal year, explained COO Kevin Turner at this year's Worldwide Partner Conference in Orlando, Fla.
Turner, along with other Microsoft execs and a growing part of the tech community, seems to believe that Microsoft has it right this time. Windows 10 is more than a new operating system; it marks a turning point for a company traditionally perceived as behind the technological curve.
Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, but it's not the end of it. Going forward, Microsoft will distribute updates through the cloud as it continues to build a system it hopes will stay competitive in the modern tech marketplace. The July 29 launch is just the beginning.
Does Microsoft have a winner here? We can't say for sure just yet, but we can say the last few months have marked both significant changes in its priorities and a great effort to build a system for modern customers. Let's take a closer look at some of the things Microsoft has gotten right so far in its Windows 10 strategy.

Old Design, New Functionality Microsoft has given its operating system an interface overhaul in Windows 10. Customers who download the new OS will be happy to see the return of the Start menu, albeit with a more streamlined, touch-friendly, and customizable look. You'll be able to adjust the apps you see in the Start menu based on your interests and user habits. Going back to the company's old design roots will undoubtedly appeal to the majority of people who disliked Windows 8, which proved that too much change is not necessarily a good thing. The Windows 10 interface will be familiar to seasoned Windows customers, but also have the modern customization capabilities people will appreciate. (Image: Microsoft)

Old Design, New Functionality

Microsoft has given its operating system an interface overhaul in Windows 10. Customers who download the new OS will be happy to see the return of the Start menu, albeit with a more streamlined, touch-friendly, and customizable look. You'll be able to adjust the apps you see in the Start menu based on your interests and user habits.
Going back to the company's old design roots will undoubtedly appeal to the majority of people who disliked Windows 8, which proved that too much change is not necessarily a good thing. The Windows 10 interface will be familiar to seasoned Windows customers, but also have the modern customization capabilities people will appreciate.

Free Upgrade Starting July 29, Windows customers will be eligible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free if they are running a legitimate version of Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. The offer will last for one year. After that, the OS will cost $119 for the Home edition and $199 for the Pro. The decision to offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade was a smart move by Microsoft. Users' general distaste for Windows 8 caused many people to stick with the older Windows 7, and no doubt they would rather keep it than risk another paid upgrade to a new Microsoft OS. By offering Windows 10 for free, Microsoft is increasing the likelihood that people will decide to abandon their systems and give the modern platform a try. After all, Microsoft is hoping to have Windows 10 running on one billion devices by July 2018. If it's going to achieve that goal, it needs to get the system into as many hands as possible. (Image: Microsoft)

Free Upgrade

Starting July 29, Windows customers will be eligible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free if they are running a legitimate version of Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. The offer will last for one year. After that, the OS will cost $119 for the Home edition and $199 for the Pro.
The decision to offer Windows 10 as a free upgrade was a smart move by Microsoft. Users' general distaste for Windows 8 caused many people to stick with the older Windows 7, and no doubt they would rather keep it than risk another paid upgrade to a new Microsoft OS. By offering Windows 10 for free, Microsoft is increasing the likelihood that people will decide to abandon their systems and give the modern platform a try.
After all, Microsoft is hoping to have Windows 10 running on one billion devices by July 2018. If it's going to achieve that goal, it needs to get the system into as many hands as possible.

Universal Apps Universal apps are designed to run on any Windows 10 device, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones. The goal here is to provide a seamless user experience. As a result, the apps will appear the same, regardless of the device at hand. For developers, the Universal Apps platform means they can write the code for an app and send it to the Windows Store, where people can download it for any Windows 10 device. In theory, this could help Microsoft achieve its goal of attracting more developers to the Windows platform. Microsoft had already confirmed its Universal Apps for Calendar and Mail would be built into the Windows 10 OS, but we recently learned that the apps for its Office suite will also be available for download from the Windows Store on launch day. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote will be part of the free Office suite and designed for touchscreen use. (Image: Microsoft)

Universal Apps

Universal apps are designed to run on any Windows 10 device, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones. The goal here is to provide a seamless user experience. As a result, the apps will appear the same, regardless of the device at hand.
For developers, the Universal Apps platform means they can write the code for an app and send it to the Windows Store, where people can download it for any Windows 10 device. In theory, this could help Microsoft achieve its goal of attracting more developers to the Windows platform.
Microsoft had already confirmed its Universal Apps for Calendar and Mail would be built into the Windows 10 OS, but we recently learned that the apps for its Office suite will also be available for download from the Windows Store on launch day. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote will be part of the free Office suite and designed for touchscreen use.

Continuum Continuum, another key feature of Windows 10, helps the operating system adjust to suit whatever device is being used. For example, if you're using a Surface with its attached keyboard, you'll see a regular desktop view. When you snap off the keyboard, however, the device will ask if you want to transition to tablet mode. Select 'Yes' and the Surface will switch to a tablet layout. For example, the Start menu will take up the whole screen. Continuum goes beyond the Surface products and extends to Windows Phone. You could, for example, run an app like Office 2016 on a Windows Phone and PC at the same time, while using your phone to navigate the larger screen. The ability to use a smartphone as a PC has tremendous implications for the future of productivity, and it'll be interesting to see whether this feature is adopted in the enterprise. (Image: Microsoft)

Continuum

Continuum, another key feature of Windows 10, helps the operating system adjust to suit whatever device is being used. For example, if you're using a Surface with its attached keyboard, you'll see a regular desktop view. When you snap off the keyboard, however, the device will ask if you want to transition to tablet mode. Select "Yes" and the Surface will switch to a tablet layout. For example, the Start menu will take up the whole screen.
Continuum goes beyond the Surface products and extends to Windows Phone. You could, for example, run an app like Office 2016 on a Windows Phone and PC at the same time, while using your phone to navigate the larger screen. The ability to use a smartphone as a PC has tremendous implications for the future of productivity, and it'll be interesting to see whether this feature is adopted in the enterprise.

New Windows Store Windows 10 users will go to one place to find their apps, music, and entertainment: a new Windows Store. This will unify the formerly separate stores for Windows 8, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Users will benefit from having a one-stop shop for a broader variety of apps. Developers benefit from having access to a larger pool of potential users. As part of a stronger 10.1 app certification policy, Microsoft is taking extra steps to eliminate clutter from the Windows Store by getting rid of apps that are too similar or don't sufficiently describe their purpose. The goal here is to provide a better experience for customers and save them the hassle of browsing hundreds of similar apps to find quality offerings. (Image: Microsoft)

New Windows Store

Windows 10 users will go to one place to find their apps, music, and entertainment: a new Windows Store. This will unify the formerly separate stores for Windows 8, Windows Phone, and Xbox. Users will benefit from having a one-stop shop for a broader variety of apps. Developers benefit from having access to a larger pool of potential users.
As part of a stronger 10.1 app certification policy, Microsoft is taking extra steps to eliminate clutter from the Windows Store by getting rid of apps that are too similar or don't sufficiently describe their purpose. The goal here is to provide a better experience for customers and save them the hassle of browsing hundreds of similar apps to find quality offerings.

Windows Insider Program After disappointing users with Windows 8, Microsoft wanted to ensure Windows 10 would give customers exactly what they wanted. What better way to do that than let them help with development? Through the Windows Insider program, Microsoft has let users test Windows 10 and provide feedback to help shape its many new features and changes. Testers are divided into two sections: Insiders in the Fast ring receive builds as soon as they're ready. Those in the Slow ring wait until the initial bugs are fixed. The program quickly grew over the last few months and had more than 5 million participants at last count. The Insider program is a win for both Microsoft and its customers. The company benefits from a wealth of legitimate feedback and the knowledge that it's building a system users want. Insiders had (and will continue to have) the chance to voice their opinions and test Windows 10 before they download it in full. (Image: Microsoft)

Windows Insider Program

After disappointing users with Windows 8, Microsoft wanted to ensure Windows 10 would give customers exactly what they wanted. What better way to do that than let them help with development?
Through the Windows Insider program, Microsoft has let users test Windows 10 and provide feedback to help shape its many new features and changes. Testers are divided into two sections: Insiders in the Fast ring receive builds as soon as they're ready. Those in the Slow ring wait until the initial bugs are fixed. The program quickly grew over the last few months and had more than 5 million participants at last count.
The Insider program is a win for both Microsoft and its customers. The company benefits from a wealth of legitimate feedback and the knowledge that it's building a system users want. Insiders had (and will continue to have) the chance to voice their opinions and test Windows 10 before they download it in full.

Slow Rollout You already know Microsoft plans to launch Windows 10 on July 29. You may have also heard there's a chance you won't be able to download the new OS on that day. This is true, but there's some savvy thinking behind the decision to make some users wait. When Windows 10 rolls out on July 29, it will initially go to Windows Insiders. Testers will download the OS, provide feedback on minor glitches, and ensure compatibility. Microsoft will make necessary changes during this time period. 'Each day of the roll-out, we will listen, learn and update the experience for all Windows 10 users,' Terry Myerson, executive vice president of operating systems, wrote in a blog post. 'If you reserved your copy of Windows 10, we will notify you once our compatibility work confirms you will have a great experience, and Windows 10 has been downloaded on your system.' The news might be a downer for customers who were hoping to download Windows 10 on July 29, but it's a practical move for Microsoft. Like the Windows Insider program, the release of preview builds, and the commitment to addressing flaws post-launch, the delayed rollout is another way to ensure Windows 10 launches with minimal problems. (Image: Microsoft)

Slow Rollout

You already know Microsoft plans to launch Windows 10 on July 29. You may have also heard there's a chance you won't be able to download the new OS on that day. This is true, but there's some savvy thinking behind the decision to make some users wait.
When Windows 10 rolls out on July 29, it will initially go to Windows Insiders. Testers will download the OS, provide feedback on minor glitches, and ensure compatibility. Microsoft will make necessary changes during this time period.
"Each day of the roll-out, we will listen, learn and update the experience for all Windows 10 users," Terry Myerson, executive vice president of operating systems, wrote in a blog post. "If you reserved your copy of Windows 10, we will notify you once our compatibility work confirms you will have a great experience, and Windows 10 has been downloaded on your system."
The news might be a downer for customers who were hoping to download Windows 10 on July 29, but it's a practical move for Microsoft. Like the Windows Insider program, the release of preview builds, and the commitment to addressing flaws post-launch, the delayed rollout is another way to ensure Windows 10 launches with minimal problems.

Windows-As-A-Service Microsoft is ditching its periodic numbered OS launches (think Windows 11, Windows 20) in favor of a new system that is regularly updated with tweaks and fixes. This means people running Windows 10 will receive new features through Windows Update or Windows Update for Business as they are ready for release. We'll no longer have to wait for the next big Windows rollout. The transition to Windows-as-a-Service is a major move for Microsoft, and the goal is to keep customers running on the most up-to-date version of Windows. This strategy will involve different upgrade plans for businesses and consumers, a precaution to strengthen corporate security. Enterprise customers will receive updates through a plan called 'Current Branch for Business,' meaning organizations will only receive updates after they have been tested among consumers. (Image: Microsoft)

Windows-As-A-Service

Microsoft is ditching its periodic numbered OS launches (think Windows 11, Windows 20) in favor of a new system that is regularly updated with tweaks and fixes. This means people running Windows 10 will receive new features through Windows Update or Windows Update for Business as they are ready for release. We'll no longer have to wait for the next big Windows rollout.
The transition to Windows-as-a-Service is a major move for Microsoft, and the goal is to keep customers running on the most up-to-date version of Windows. This strategy will involve different upgrade plans for businesses and consumers, a precaution to strengthen corporate security. Enterprise customers will receive updates through a plan called "Current Branch for Business," meaning organizations will only receive updates after they have been tested among consumers.
- July 23, 2015