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Windows 11 2024 Update: What's new and why it's not Windows 12
The Windows 11 2024 Update will bring a ton of changes to the operating system, including better support for Arm devices.
Windows 11 is one of the best iterations of Microsoft's operating system ever, and it's constantly getting better through feature updates like version 22H2 in 2022 and version 23H2 in 2023. For 2024, Microsoft is keeping up with tradition by launching Windows 11 version 24H2 (or the 2024 Update), but this might be the biggest update to Windows 11 yet. In fact, many expected this to become Windows 12, but it seems like that won't be the case.
Microsoft is missing an opportunity by not releasing Windows 12 this year
The next big Windows update isn't called Windows 12, but Microsoft would benefit if it was. Here's why.
Soon after the release of Windows 11, reports started floating around that Microsoft intended to go back to a three-year cycle for its major operating system releases. This led many, including myself, to the belief that the true follow-up to Windows 11 would be Windows 12 at some point this year.
The first Snapdragon X Elite PCs are set to launch this summer with “the next version of Windows”
Qualcomm's CEO revealed in an earnings call an expected launch of the next Windows mid-2024
Rumors surrounding Windows 12 have already been pointing to a 2024 launch, but new information regarding Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor seems to further firm up this idea. As reported by PCMag, Qualcomm's CEO Cristiano Amon spoke in a Q1 2024 earnings call about the "next version of Windows" getting the company's custom Arm64 chip in 2024.
Windows 11 may soon receive the sudo command as featured in macOS and Linux
The sudo command could help you execute tasks with admin permissions
The sudo command, which is often used as shorthand for “substitute user do,” is a helpful feature that is a part of Linux and macOS. With sudo, you can leverage higher privileges on your computer to execute commands, whether you want to change settings or install software. Unlike the previously mentioned operating systems, Windows does not come with sudo capabilities right out of the box. However, new rumors suggest that it could be in the works as Microsoft prepares the next iteration of the operating system.
Windows 12 looms closer as a new internal build branch emerges
We're getting ever closer to Windows 12, with internal builds of the OS now shipping from a new development branch.
We've been talking and hearing about Windows 12 for a while, but it looks like Microsoft has just given us the first hint that it might be coming in the near future. Recently, the company shipped a new internal Canary build with number build 27547, a big jump from the previous build, 26047.
How Windows 12 could improve Android apps on Windows on Arm
Windows 12 is shaping up to be a substantial update, and it can even make Windows on Arm more viable to use
It’s been almost two years since Microsoft added support for Android apps on Windows to the joy of many enthusiasts, taking a big step toward cross-platform compatibility and opening a myriad of possibilities. Slowly but surely, Android apps on Windows have evolved from being a mere novelty to a genuinely useful feature as more apps get supported. Of course, the experience is far from flawless still, as Microsoft continues to push updates to its Windows Subsystem for Android to further improve the experience and add more features.
4 reasons 2024 will be an exciting year for PCs
2023 may have been a slow year for laptops, but things are looking way up for 2024 thanks largely to brand new hardware
Just a few days ago, I wrote about how 2023 was a pretty boring year for laptops, with most options keeping the same designs as last year while offering iterative performance upgrades. But things are set to be very different in 2024. With brand-new laptop designs, potentially revolutionary processors, and a big Windows update, it looks like it could be one of the best years for laptops in quite some time. Here are a few reasons I'm very excited about what's coming next year.
Microsoft revamps its Windows roadmap starting with Windows 12
A new report suggests that the Hudson Valley update — possibly Windows 12 — will weave AI into every part of the experience.
We've known Microsoft is working on Windows 12, or some kind of successor to Windows 11, for some time now, but a new report has just given us a good look at what the company is planning. While the Windows 12 name hasn't been confirmed yet, the next big Windows release, codenamed Hudson Valley, will land sometime next fall with a big focus on AI features, which will be infused into all parts of the Windows experience.
4 reasons why Windows 12 needs to be better for gaming handhelds
Windows has been the biggest problem with modern gaming handhelds. Windows 12 needs to change that.
Ever since the Nintendo Switch launched, and even more so after the Steam Deck, there's been a surge in handheld gaming PCs from all kinds of brands. There's no shortage of Steam Deck alternatives out there, whether it's from major companies like Lenovo and Asus or lesser-known brands like Ayaneo and OneXPlayer. But there's a common thread between many of these alternatives that tends to make it less enticing than the Steam Deck or the Nintendo Switch, and that's Windows 11.
Five ways Microsoft can improve the Xbox Game Bar on PC
The Game Bar is severely lacking in its current state.
Very few things are as annoying as accidentally triggering the Xbox Game Bar when you are in the middle of a game, and having your entire screen taken over by a tasteless overlay. That's precisely why I disable the Game Bar as a part of my Windows setup ritual on new laptops and desktops. The Xbox Game Bar is supposed to be a one-stop shop for gamers on Windows with all the right tools in one place, but it's far from that, in my opinion.
4 ways Microsoft can improve the Xbox app on PC in Windows 12
Microsoft is constantly improving the Xbox app for Windows, but here's what it really needs to do.
Nothing is set in stone at this point when it comes to Windows 12, but you may have already heard a rumor or two about Microsoft's next big OS as we inch closer to its potential release in 2024. There are plenty of ways Microsoft can improve and build upon the merits of the current OS to make Windows 12 better, and I hope the company is putting a conscious effort into making it better for gamers too. I say that because Windows 11 didn't exactly have the best reputation among gamers, especially at the beginning. In fact, many users still swear by Windows 10 in 2023.
3 reasons why I'm not excited for Copilot or AI on Windows 12
Copilot and other artificial intelligence-based features look to be a huge part of Windows 12, but it's just not appealing to a large subset of users
We've already seen plenty of rumors and leaks about Windows 12, the next operating system release from Microsoft. From quashed rumors of Windows 12 being subscription-based to other unconfirmed tidbits, there's a lot to talk about. However, we do know that Windows 12 will have AI and machine learning features at the epicenter, starting with Copilot. In fact, Microsoft is so confident Copilot will be part of the best PCs in the future that it plans to bring the feature to one billion Windows 10 users as well. Despite all the hype, though, I'm not convinced that Copilot will revolutionize workflows in Windows 12.
Windows 12 will fail if Microsoft uses excessive AI
I'm all excited to see what new Windows 12 features Microsoft has in store for us. But the possible infusion of AI into the OS has me worried.
As someone who was once a fan of Microsoft and cares deeply for the PC industry, I'm thrilled about what's coming next in Windows 12. However, the thrill is a blend of excitement for new features that Microsoft will introduce and the fear of Windows 12 being excessively AI-centric.
Microsoft's Satya Nadella suggests Copilot could be the next Start button
While talking about "next-gen AI PCs", Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, "Copilot is like the Start button".
Qualcomm made tons of announcements in its Snapdragon AI event, including making the Snapdragon X Elite chipset for PCs official. The event also saw Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussing the "next-gen AI PCs" with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, where the former said, "Copilot is like the Start button."
How a subscription-based Windows 12 upgrade would change the platform
Microsoft isn't moving to a subscription model for Windows 12, and there's a simple reason why: Users and companies wouldn't buy in.
After references to a subscription model were spotted in preview builds of Windows, there's been a lot of talk about Microsoft forcing users to pay a subscription to upgrade to Windows 12. Though subscriptions are a big part of Microsoft's business model — see Microsoft 365 and Xbox Game Pass, among others — it would be a pretty big jump for the company to charge a subscription for the Windows operating system. At this point, we've debunked this rumor, all but determining that the subscription references within Windows were related to enterprise versions of the operating system. But what would a subscription-based version of Windows look like, and how would it change the platform?
32-bit Arm apps won't be supported by Qualcomm's Oryon CPUs or Windows 12
Microsoft and Qualcomm have confirmed that the next-generation Oryon chip and future versions of Windows won't support Arm32 apps.
Windows devices powered by Arm processors have been using 64-bit processors for a while now, but just as we've seen in the Android world, support for 32-bit instruction sets and apps usually sticks around for a few years after that. That's been the case with Windows 10 and 11, too, which still support apps compiled for Arm32 today. However, that's going to change with Windows 12 and the next-generation Oryon processor from Qualcomm.
Microsoft is reportedly taking another shot at "modernizing" its OS with Windows 12
The company is once again trying to modernize Windows by breaking it up into smaller components, so each device only has the features it needs.
Microsoft is once again working on a more "modern" version of Windows yet again, and we could see some changes with Windows 12 in 2024, according to a new report from Windows Central. The company last attempted something like this with Windows 10X, a version of Windows 10 that was going to strip out features like support for classic Win32 apps, but this was eventually canned in favor of Windows 11. However, it looks like Microsoft is taking a different approach this time around.
Microsoft is adding a Canary Channel to the Windows Insider Program, likely for Windows 12 testing
Microsoft is adding a fourth channel to its Windows Insider Program called Canary, where a new branch of builds will be tested.
It's once again that time of the year when Microsoft's Amanda Langowski pens a blog post to outline what's in store for the Windows Insider Program. This time, there are some big changes, as the team is introducing a public Canary Channel. No, this isn't the daily-update internal that you've heard of. This seems a lot like the Dev channel, but for testing Windows 12.
Microsoft inadvertently shows off a new design prototype for the next version of Windows
Microsoft is reportedly working on the next major Windows version for 2024, and we got a look at an early design prototype this week.
Microsoft's Ignite 2022 keynote was packed with news focused on Microsoft 365, but beyond what was officially announced, the company showed off something it probably didn't mean to. At one point during the online keynote, a screenshot briefly showed a Windows desktop running Microsoft Teams, but the desktop doesn't look quite like how we know it today, potentially hinting at future version of Windows - what we presume will be called Windows 12.
Today, Microsoft is releasing the Windows 11 2022 Update, also known as Windows 11 version 22H2. But alongside that, the company confirmed how it's going to be delivering Windows 11 updates moving forward, most of which was already rumors or announced earlier this year. However, the company is denying some of those rumors, specifically that it's planning to release Windows 12 in 2024.