It has been more than two decades since Microsoft introduced us to Windows operating system. Although the world had quite a few complaints with Windows 95, with subsequent improvements and newer versions—we now have Windows 10—it became a norm in our lives. With Microsoft losing market share over the past decade, the company has been trying to reinvent to keep itself relevant in the fast changing world. Not only has it lost the OS battle to Google and Apple in smartphones for now, it has also been been bleeding dry in terms of its legacy software like Internet Explorer and its new version, Edge. The company introduced Windows 10, with free upgrades last year with hopes to revive the market. With the free upgrades coming to an end and as Microsoft introduces its anniversary update, it seems the company may still have some tricks left in its bag.
The convergence
After years of handling different software for mobile and laptops—I still don’t understand why Microsoft did this, especially after Windows for business and home fiasco, up until Windows XP—Microsoft decided to bring everything desktops, computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones under a single umbrella of Windows 10. The company described it as “Windows as a service” feature highlighting that it would focus more on improving the user experience and not on what it can bundle up with the next licensed release of the OS. To that effect, Microsoft has kept to its word, the new approach seems promising as it has developed the anniversary update based on a crowdsourcing of ideas through its Windows Insider programme. For once, Microsoft is focusing on what the consumer wants and not what she needs.
Although it is difficult to categorise all the features that come with the new update including the thousand of bug fixes, we have tried to focus on a few that can really the swivel the market in favour of Windows.
An intelligent intelligence
One of the most important feature of this whole update is what Microsoft’s AI Cortana can do. Though Cortana has always been considered a second fiddle to Siri or Google Now, Microsoft has made it more smarter. With thrust of Google or Apple towards AI, Cortana may just have the right specs to be the one that amuses the users as it brings integration between mobile phones and tablets or laptops eliminating the need for third party apps. By signing into Cortana from an Android phone—not available in India for now, but will soon be—with the same Microsoft account one can get updates like messages, call notifications and even battery signals on the desktop or laptop. The service is also expected to offer features like “find my phone” via a PC. More important, she is awake all the time and also available on the lock screen. The update would allow Cortana not to only search for documents but also within them, for instance, if one receives a flight ticket by mail, Cortana would add it on the Calender and even ask you for a taxi booking to the airport if you need one. Similarly, it can book hotels and restaurants according to the Calender and inform you about overlapping appointments. The AI also understands what you were doing yesterday and you can ask it to remind you of the events that happened last week or pick up a presentation from last week and send it to any of the contacts. For example, you can just ask Cortana to mail the presentation that you were working on last night. With Cortana learning more from your searches and your choices, you can expect Microsoft to create a more personalised personal assistant.
Say Hello to more security
Given how the world has taken to security and fingerprint sensors, Microsoft had introduced its Windows Hello as a feature to protect laptops and phones using fingerprint sensor or facial recognition. But the new update seems to take it farther, the new security system would allow Windows Hello to protect apps and even website logins. For instance, one need not enter login details for their LinkedIn account each time and they can just do it by using their fingerprint. Moreover, Microsoft may also allow unlocking via smartphones, NFC or fitness bands in the future.
Browser gets an Edge
With internet explorer being weeded out of most systems due to slow performance and bugs, Microsoft introduced a revamped version with Edge. Though the browser was made to catch-up with the Chrome, Firefox and Opera, Microsoft missed out on certain features like browser extensions to make it more compatible. With the new update Microsoft seems to have rectified that, the new browser does offer extensions like adblockers, Office offline, Pinterest among others while also allowing to pause flash content—this is also available in Chrome—which would help load pages faster. Although the browser still eats to much RAM than others, Microsoft has tried to make it easier on battery. More important, the main feature for browser—which no other browser offers at present—comes from its integration with Windows Hello making it easier to login to social media and shopping websites without passwords.
All in Ink
The update will also make a big play for tablet users by introducing Ink platform for those who wish to use stylus. The feature allows users to paint, draw, scribble and take notes using the pen. Microsoft is also expected to integrate the app with other applications such as Maps to chart out a route using the stylus.
While there are a few other features that come with update like start-up menu revamp, more security, more active action centre and improved Xbox play—where one can buy a game for PC and play it on all platforms—Microsoft still leaves a lot that can be improved with more upgrades in terms of performance,especially in terms of usage individual apps. But the promise of Windows as a service and the new Windows 10 update does open up a window of opportunity for Microsoft to regain some of its lost glory. With the company planning to introduce phones that can double up as CPUs and laptops, Microsoft can certainly be the leader in an integrated world of tech.
ishaan.gera@expressindia.com
