Microsoft announces Windows 10 retirement, teases launch of next-generation Windows
What's the story
Microsoft has recently announced that it will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. The news comes amid recent announcements by Microsoft and its CEO Satya Nadella at the Build 2021 developer conference suggesting that we may witness the launch of an all-new version of the operating system (OS) probably called Windows 11. Here's everything we're expecting from Windows 11.
Sun Valley
Microsoft has been teasing 'biggest update to Windows in decades'
During the Build 2021 conference keynote address in May, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella teased the "next-generation" Windows. Nadella said that he had been testing the new operating system for months now. Codenamed Sun Valley, the new version is expected to be unveiled in a separate event, possibly giving Windows a complete visual overhaul, among other rumored changes.
Tacit acknowledgment
Windows 10 will be retired in 2025; Windows 11 coming?
Recently-released Microsoft documentation states that support for Windows 10 Home, Pro, Pro for Workstation, and Pro Education will be dropped on October 14, 2025. Alongside this, the software giant has scheduled a Windows-related event to kick off at 11 am Eastern Time on June 24. The Verge speculated that the event's start time and poster also hint at Windows 11.
Subtle hints
Microsoft releases 11-minute compilation of slowed down Windows startup sounds
Additionally, Microsoft released an 11-minute-long video of the startup sounds for all its Windows versions to date, slowed down by 4,000% to a "meditative" speed. In 2015, Microsoft had said that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows. If the company has indeed changed its mind, here are some features we hope to see in Windows 11.
Feature requests
Can we please get decent HDR support with Windows 11?
First off, support for HDR content on Windows 10 was poorly implemented. When HDR is turned on from Display Properties, non-HDR content, including system menus and backgrounds, reportedly appears dull and flat. With display tech getting better every day, we hope Windows 11 brings support for system-wide HDR so we aren't inconvenienced by a half-baked feature when we prepare to watch HDR content.
Catching up
Windows 11 should include a live wallpapers feature
On the personalization front, XDA-Developers rightly pointed out that it's about time Microsoft brings support for live wallpapers to Windows 11. Processing power has come a long way since 2015 when Windows 10 was introduced. Moreover, the live wallpapers would help Microsoft Surface products' user interface compete with rival offerings from Apple. After all, Steam's Wallpaper Engine isn't the solution for everyone.
Free PWAs
Microsoft Office web apps should be preinstalled on Windows 11
XDA-Developers also suggested that Windows 11 should come with free Microsoft Office. In all seriousness, that isn't too much to ask considering that Microsoft already offers the Office suite of apps for free as web applications. If Microsoft can preload the progressive web applications (PWAs) instead of the trial version of Microsoft Office, it can reduce bloatware and give users requisite functionality too.
Ads! Ugh
Microsoft, can we please eliminate bloatware and pesky notifications?
Speaking of bloatware and advertisements, that's one thing Microsoft can do away with, in Windows 11. Since customers and enterprises are paying for their copies of the operating system, it doesn't make sense to include Candy Crush Saga and other such apps that need to be activated/downloaded. XDA-Developers mentioned that bloatware applications spamming pop-ups and notifications are annoying and we couldn't agree more.
Fingers crossed
Does anyone even use the Start Menu Live Tiles anymore?
Lastly, Live Tiles in the Start Menu derived from the Windows Phone days ought to be discontinued. We believe hardly anyone even uses Live Tiles except for, maybe, checking on the weather. That said, all this remains wishful thinking since Microsoft has already set the stage for unveiling Windows 11. We just hope the June 24 event doesn't disappoint.