Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System

Microsoft is preparing to announce the biggest update to Windows since Windows 10 launched in 2015, and although the company has not officially revealed anything about this update, all signs are shows that it delivers a significantly different experience for PC users. In fact, the update is said to change it so much that it will be a new version, Windows 11. Although Microsoft has not confirmed the name change, they have strongly hinted at it, including the hidden number 11. in the promotional image for the June 24 event and the 11 a.m. timeline.

What follows is everything we know so far about the update that will likely be called Windows 11.

When will Windows 11 be announced?

Microsoft started teasing Windows 11 on June 2nd with a planned 'What's Next for Windows' event scheduled for June 24th at 11am ET. The invite features a GIF featuring the redesigned Windows logo, with light shining through forming two light trails that look like '11'.

Why Windows 11?

That streak of light may have been enough to inspire speculation about Windows 11, but the event scheduling at 11 a.m. ET (22 p.m. ET) further strengthens this theory. Many Microsoft events are held later in the day - especially since the pandemic forced those events to happen only online - because the company is based on the US West Coast. The theory is that Microsoft wouldn't schedule an event so early in the day without a good reason; Windows 11's synchronization is probably the reason.

As to why people think Microsoft wants to surpass Windows 10 even though it is supposed to be the "final version of Windows". Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said at the Build 2021 developer conference in May that the company intends to "share one of the most important updates to Windows in the past decade," which he called 'next generation of Windows'. So speculation is backed by more than just GIFs and event start times.

Also, consider that changing the name of Windows is a great way to generate interest and even drive more PC sales. Every time a new version of Windows comes out, consumers want to buy a computer with that operating system pre-installed.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 1

Nadella didn't reveal many details about this Windows update at Build 2021, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been any hint of Windows 11 from before. Reports, rumors and speculations based on the discarded Windows 10X operating system have given some clues as to what we can expect from the next generation of Windows.

How can Windows 11 change the user experience?

Reports indicate that Microsoft has been planning many changes to the Windows 10 user experience for a long time. Windows Central reported in October 2020 that the company was looking to update more top-level user interfaces like the Start menu, Action Center, and even File Explorer, with a consistent, animated modern design. better and new features through a project known internally as 'Sun Valley'.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 2

Sun Valley is not supposed to replace the Fluent Design design language that Microsoft introduced at Build 2017 and expands to iOS, Android, and the web in 2019, but is instead to expand the design language to other platforms. Windows add-ons. This can lead to a more cohesive user experience than the jumble of design languages ​​found in Windows 10.

Some of these small but notable design issues were pointed out by Microsoft program director Yulia Klein on the public GitHub page for WinUI in November 2020. Klein said that "XAML controls don't fit the way they should be." web and mobile apps are evolving" and the changes she suggested are "part of her work on refreshing the XAML interface to accommodate other platforms while still looking familiar on Windows."

The proposal includes changes to the toggle switches, sliders, and rating controls used in Windows. These UI elements are almost universal; changes can have a major impact on the design of the operating system. Klein's post also makes it clear that Microsoft is indeed looking to update the design of Windows.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 3

All of Microsoft's plans to modernize the Windows user experience were confirmed by a January job listing that said:

'In this team, you'll work with our key platform, Surface, and our OEM partners, to align and deliver a profoundly rejuvenating Windows experience that signals to our customers that Windows is BACK and ensures that Windows is seen as the best user operating system experience available to customers."

It's not hard to connect the characteristics between Sun Valley and that job listing. The company planned to make some changes to the user experience for Windows 10X, the operating system for foldable devices, and then repurposed for single-screen devices and was eventually cancelled.

Microsoft released a Windows 10X emulator for developers at Build 2020 introducing a number of user experience changes such as a redesigned app switcher, new Start menu, and Quick Settings menu for controls. often used. Now that the initial changes to Windows 10X are coming to the new Windows, it makes sense for some of these elements to make their way to Windows 11.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 4

These user experience changes may not be as pronounced as the jump from Windows 7 to Windows 8. It looks like Microsoft is fully committed to the Fluent Design language it unveiled four years ago.

How Windows 11 can change the Microsoft Store?

Windows 11 could not only change the look and feel of the operating system, but it could also change the way people find, buy, and install software. That seems to be what Microsoft is hoping for, as the company is said to be working to make the Microsoft Store more important to Windows users and developers alike.

Windows Central reported in April that Microsoft plans to make three changes to its software distribution platform: allowing unpackaged Win32 apps to enter the Microsoft Store, allowing developers to save application hosting and updates, and permitting the use of commercial third-party platforms. All three of those changes will make it easier for Windows developers to make their products available through the Microsoft Store in addition to (or instead of) other distribution options.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 5

The company is also attracting developers directly by economic means. At Build 2021, they announced that they will only take 12% of revenue from selling games through the Microsoft Store instead of 30% as before. That change isn't groundbreaking - the Epic Games Store offers a similar rating - but it does make the Microsoft Store more competitive with platforms like Steam. It's also less than what Microsoft charges for apps sold through the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft currently enjoys 15% of the revenue from many of the apps sold through its platform. They also take 30% off in-app purchases and in-app purchases made through the 'Microsoft Store for Business; Microsoft Store for Education; Microsoft Store on Windows 8 devices; or Microsoft Store on Windows Phone 8' devices, under the App Developer Agreement last updated in July 2020. It's possible that a new fee for the game hasn't been added yet because similar changes are coming soon. happens with other applications.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 6

As reported by Windows Central, the Microsoft Store is also expected to receive an interface overhaul similar to the rest of Windows 11, as well as updates aimed at providing a 'download and install experience'. more stable for big apps and games'. Both can improve the experience of finding software through the Microsoft store.

This is also a symbiotic relationship. Right now, Microsoft has to figure out a way for developers to submit their apps to the Microsoft Store, even though the store isn't very popular with consumers, as they often install from developers' own sources or other sources. shared source. 

When will Windows 11 release?

This could be the biggest question mark ahead of Microsoft's event. The company normally releases major updates for Windows 10 twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, and Microsoft just released the Windows 10 May 2021 Update last month making the release of the Windows 10 May 2021 Update a reality. September or October launch for Windows 11 could be a possibility.

However, it can be difficult to predict an operating system's release date. Microsoft announced Windows 10X in February 2020 with an expected release date of 2020, then announced in July 2020 that the operating system would not launch until 2021, and finally in May. that it will be discontinued in the near future. Major updates to Windows 10 have also been delayed in the past, with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update only starting to update automatically in January 2019.

A safe bet is probably that Windows 11 will launch sometime between September and December. However, Microsoft will probably release Preview Builds before that, so those curious about the future of Windows can should sign up for the Windows Insider Program if they don't mind using unstable software.

Information about Microsoft's upcoming Windows 11 Operating System Picture 7

Microsoft was scheduled to reveal Windows 11 - or at least the update people thought Windows 11 - during the 'What's Next for Windows' virtual event on June 24 at 11 a.m. ET. The event will be streamed live via Microsoft's website.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 13 June 2021