Microsoft is working on a big interface update for Windows 10. The Windows 10 user interface and overall design of the leading operating system continue to receive criticism for its inconsistency five years after its release. Microsoft is aware that this is an issue that needs to be solved and they will work on it in the 2021 versions.
The problem is, after Windows Mobile and Windows 8 fiascos, Windows 10 should have been the decisive answer for the company. But solving some problems is not that easy. Windows has been in our life for so long and changing or evolving some legacy components is a big problem.
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Microsoft announced the design language Fluent Design in 2017 and on that basis they have been patching components here and there. It was a turning point, although the company made it clear that it would take “years” to fully integrate it. In fact, we’ve only seen one-time changes without a significant update or global rethinking. But even though, now Microsoft decides to work on a big interface update for Windows 10.
Windows 10X has been another important project where we have already seen some of those changes, such as the first variant of Windows Core OS, a modular development with a basic core that can be expanded or reduced through modules to meet the needs of different devices and that should be the final solution to the Windows of the future.
Microsoft is working on a big interface update for Windows 10
Until this arrives, Microsoft is working on a project under the code name ‘Sun Valley.’ They will widely renew the interface with delivery scheduled in Windows 10 “Cobalt”, the fall edition of 2021. The project is the responsibility of product manager Panos Panay, who already announced the decision to “accelerate innovation in Windows 10 to ensure that Windows devices are the best way to work, learn and play. We will make significant improvements in each of these areas.”
Internal documentation describes the project as “revitalizing” and modernizing the Windows desktop experience to keep up with customer expectations in a world driven by other modern and lightweight platforms. According to the information, the renewal of the Windows 10 user interface would include at least:
- A redesigned start menu and activity center inspired by the work done in Windows 10X.
- The taskbar will also be redesigned with modern code, increasing the use of the new WinUI layer to improve the Shell.
- The Legacy File Explorer will be another improved component.
- The Dark Mode will be extended to more Windows legacy components.
- The improved interface will be extended to the system’s tablet mode.
They point out another issue of interest, which would be the user’s ability to choose how to implement these changes. “We were also told that for some features, users will be able to switch between the old and new experiences, as an option rather than forcing them.”
Microsoft is working on a big interface update for Windows 10. We will see what happens. It is complicated to renew the Windows 10 user interface when the system is active on a billion devices and we have already seen the problems that occur in the updates. Or maybe, Microsoft is considering a completely new version separate from the current development.
