Windows 10: Microsoft says it will revolutionize Windows 10 user experience

Microsoft’s getting ready for some “radical” Windows 10 design changes, according to a series of job listings spotted by us.

Microsoft has been working on a major design overhaul for a while, and the company quietly confirmed a “reinvigorating” update in a job posting earlier this year. There aren’t many details being shared about “Sun Valley” right now, but we’ve learned that the new visual look will focus on rounded corners, Windows 10X-like features and transitions.

In the new job listing, which was published earlier this month and spotted by us over the weekend, Microsoft confirmed that it wants to dramatically change the user experience of the Windows platform in the coming years.

The job listing has been posted by Microsoft’s Interactive eXperiences Platform (IXP) Team, which is responsible for the UX of Windows and Windows apps. The team is behind the core composition, rendering and input platforms for the Start Menu, Office, Microsoft Edge and native Windows apps.

“We also own much of the Win32 API and infrastructure underlying all Windows features and apps. This team brought Touch to Windows, Precision Touchpads to Windows Laptops, and Windows Ink to the 2:1 device,” the job listing reads.

“We are now on a multi-year journey to revolutionize the Windows UX platform by delivering best interactive experiences, showcasing cutting-edge hardware,” the company noted in a job listing, which is still live on its website as of May 24.

As per the job listing, Microsoft Program Manager will apparently work with the Project Reunion team to “define, design, plan, build major improvements to the Windows UX platform”.

In another job listing, which is no longer available, Microsoft’s team responsible for windowing experience also confirmed that it’s on a “multi-year journey to re-imagine this platform with the goal of enabling the best interactive experiences on Windows”.

“Your work will influence and shape the look and feel of Windows: you will help us change the world,” the second job listing reads.


New icons, touch-friendly File Explorer

The basic concept is to improve overall design consistency, animation, enable rounded corners, and support for new features. As spotted in the preview builds, Microsoft is also working on new icons, fonts and gestures experience for Windows.

The Sun Valley Update is also based on WinUI/Project Reunion features and it hopes to make it easier for developers to create attractive apps with rounded corners.

What to expect in the next big update


Windows 10 version 21H2, otherwise known as Sun Valley update, will modernize a host of Windows 10 UI features, including Action Center, Taskbar, Start Menu, Flyouts, native apps, etc with consistent modern designs, rounded corners, and improved performance.


Action Center with Windows 10X-like UI features in Windows 10 preview builds

As you can see in the above example, some changes are already live in the preview builds but they’re hidden behind experimental flags.

Likewise, we’ve also spotted a floating jump list menu for the taskbar in one of the latest preview builds.


Rounded corners in preview builds

These changes are set to roll out near the end of 2021 and the Sun Valley refresh should extend to all Windows 10 form factor including workstations, desktops, tablets, 2-in-1s, etc.

The post Microsoft says it will revolutionize Windows 10 user experience appeared first on Windows Latest

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Microsoft Selects Dolby Audio for Windows 10

Dolby Laboratories, Inc. and Microsoft Corporation announced today that Dolby Audio is selected to be a part of the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system and will be natively supported by the new Microsoft Edge browser for the playback of web-based content as well as accessible by third-party Windows Store apps. Users of Microsoft Windows 10 PCs and tablets will enjoy Dolby quality audio experiences through Windows entertainment apps and through Microsoft Edge.

Dolby Audio (supporting Dolby Digital Plus) will be available in x86 Windows 10 PCs and tablets for playback of movies, TV shows, and videos with crisp, clear dialogue and greater detail of sounds. Windows 7 and 8 users may upgrade to Windows 10 for free and continue to experience Dolby quality audio consistently across headphones, built-in PC and tablet speakers, or connected home theater systems. Microsoft Edge will be the first browser to leverage the Dolby Digital Plus decoder on the Windows 10 operating system, enabling online content providers to enrich the entertainment experiences of millions of Internet users globally with Dolby Audio.

"We are excited about the collaboration and partnership with Microsoft and share in the commitment to providing the best entertainment experiences possible to consumers across a wide range of devices in the Windows 10 ecosystem," said John Couling, Senior Vice President, E-Media Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. "With the launch of Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge in nearly 200 countries, Dolby and Microsoft will enable better user experiences with high-quality audio that is robust, consistent, and at a scale necessary for the large Windows ecosystem."

"At Microsoft, we are committed to delivering the richest, most immersive, entertainment experiences with Windows 10," said David Treadwell, Corporate Vice President, Operating Systems Group, Microsoft. "With Dolby Audio incorporated into the Windows 10 platform and Microsoft Edge, content providers will be able to deliver their content with superior sound in Dolby Audio for a wide range of Windows 10 based PCs and tablets."

 

Microsoft Selects Dolby Audio for Windows 10

it would've been great if microsoft added HEVC decoders, LAV filters along with other codecs with Windows 10, and developing WMP to be better than VLC, KMPlayer and such sorts of media players.

Nevertheless, this is good step for microsoft, by far.

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

As you may already know, Windows 10 (as well as Windows 8) allow you to log in with a valid Microsoft account, instead of creating a local account that only works on your machine. However, you may prefer to keep a local account for privacy reasons. If you do, though, some Windows 10 features—like Cortana—may not work. Despite the default behavior, the Windows 10 Store is not one of them. You can still log in to your Microsoft account for just the Store without switching to a full Microsoft account. The process, however, is not terribly obvious. To do so, follow these steps:

• Launch the Store from your Start menu.
• Click the user icon next to the search box.
• Click “Sign-in” from the menu that appears.
• Choose “Microsoft account” and log in like normal.
• When the “Make it yours” box appears do not enter your password. Instead, click “Sign in to just this app instead.”

from Lifehacker