Windows 10 is here. Yes, you read it right. Microsoft's successor to Windows 8 platform is officially called as Windows 10, skipping the version 9. The new operating system is one of the most crucial launches for the company, which is grappling with a declining PC segment and growing popularity Android-based large screen smartphones. With Windows 10, Microsoft has focussed on unifying different platforms – tablets, phones and traditional PCs.
Windows 10, previously code named Threshold, is still in early stages. However, Microsoft managed to show off some of the features to be expected from the next version of Windows. Those include a revamped Start menu, multi tasking tools and improvement to the app display format. Microsoft has added virtual desktop feature as well.
Microsoft has also introduced a Windows Insider Program, which it calls its the largest-ever open collaborative development effort to change the way Windows is built. Program participants will receive the technical preview of Windows 10 and a steady stream of builds through the development cycle to use and give feedback on.
As said above, Windows 10 focusses on bringing consistency across devices. Microsoft reveals the new OS will run across the “broadest range of devices”, including Internet of Things and enterprise datacenters. Unification will also make developers' life easier. They will be able to publish an app across multiple device types, making discovery, purchase and updating easier than ever for customers.
There's also a lot of focus on enterprise. “Management and deployment have been simplified to help lower costs, including in-place upgrades from Windows 7 or Windows 8 that are focused on making device wipe-and-reload scenarios obsolete. Businesses will also have the flexibility to choose how quickly they adopt the latest innovations and influence continued improvements. In addition, organizations will be able to customize an app store specific to their needs and environment,” says Microsoft in a release. Read: Introducing Windows 10 for Business
Microsoft highlights features of technical preview of Windows 10:
Expanded Start menu. The familiar Start menu is back, providing quick one-click access to the functions and files that people use most, and it includes a new space to personalize with favorite apps, programs, people and websites.
Apps that run in a window. Apps from the Windows Store now open in the same format that desktop programs do. They can be resized and moved around, and have title bars at the top allowing users to maximize, minimize and close with a click.
Snap enhancements. Working in multiple apps at once is easier and more intuitive with snap improvements. A new quadrant layout allows up to four apps to be snapped on the same screen. Windows will also show other apps and programs running for additional snapping, and it will even make smart suggestions on filling available screen space with other open apps.
New Task view button. The new Task view button on the task bar enables one view for all open apps and files, allowing for quick switching and one-touch access to any desktop created.
Multiple desktops. Instead of too many apps and files overlapping on a single desktop, it’s easy to create and switch between distinct desktops for different purposes and projects — whether for work or personal use.