: Microsoft
Microsoft hosted its Construct 2022 developer convention yesterday, the place it introduced an entire load of recent options which might be coming to Home windows 11 later this yr. Along with new options for Home windows 11, the corporate additionally unveiled Challenge Volterra, a Home windows 11 ARM-powered Mini PC, and some options for its first-party apps, comparable to Microsoft Groups and OneNote. Here is all the things that you must know.
Microsoft Construct 2022 HighlightsThird-party widgetsUpgrades to Home windows 11 Subsystem for AndroidNew Microsoft Retailer featuresProject VolterraNew Microsoft Groups options and OneNote design
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Third-party widgets on Home windows 11
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One of many key highlights of Home windows 11 was the widgets panel. The corporate launched some first-party widgets with Home windows 11. Some have been developed from the bottom up (for instance, the widgets for its Outlook and To Do apps), however the remainder are principally web-powered (information, leisure, climate, and many others.). Nonetheless, virtually all of the widgets out there in the widgets panel have been unique to Microsoft’s personal apps and providers.
That is altering as Microsoft has introduced that it’s going to open up widgets to third-party app builders later this yr. Microsoft says that the builders will be capable to make widgets as a companion to their win32 or PWA apps. Third-party widgets shall be primarily based on Microsoft’s Adaptive Playing cards platform. This can enable the widgets to make use of a versatile canvas, all whereas permitting the builders to create interactive widgets with texts, graphics, and buttons. The corporate nonetheless hasn’t detailed all the things in regards to the new function however says that builders will be capable to construct new experiences “later this yr.”
Throughout the keynote, Kevin Gallo, head of the developer platform at Microsoft, additionally mentioned that the corporate is “exploring different locations the place widgets may seem in Home windows.” Though Microsoft didn’t explicitly inform us what these “different locations” may very well be, rumors recommend that the corporate may very well be seeking to convey widgets to the desktop. Hopefully, we’ll get to know extra about this quickly.
Enormous replace for Home windows 11 Subsystem for Android
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Microsoft launched help for Android apps with Home windows 11. In Home windows 11, you possibly can straight set up Android apps in your pc and begin them with only a click on. How this works is that Home windows retains a light-weight model of Android OS in the background. At Construct 2022, the corporate introduced some enormous updates for the Home windows Subsystem for Android.
Microsoft introduced that it will be increasing the supply of Android apps on Home windows 11 to extra areas. Now, in addition to the US, it is possible for you to to obtain Android apps by way of the Amazon Appstore in 5 extra areas, specifically the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan.
The corporate additionally introduced that it will be upgrading the Subsystem model to Android 12.1 — sure, your Home windows PC may very well be working a more recent model of Android than your smartphone. Bringing some Android 12 options to the board, Microsoft says that Home windows will now notify the person when an Android app is utilizing the microphone, location, or every other system providers. The corporate says it’s also working to enhance mouse and keyboard help for Android apps on Home windows. Lastly, the corporate provides that Android apps will now be capable to hook up with units on the identical community as your Home windows PC, together with units or safety cameras.
App restore and new options for Microsoft Retailer
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Speaking extra in regards to the apps, Microsoft govt Giorgio Sardo mentioned that the corporate would quickly enable customers to revive apps from the Microsoft Retailer on Home windows 11. Up till now, Microsoft hasn’t provided a function that permits the customers to revive apps that they had on their older Home windows gadget on their new gadget. However the brand new Microsoft Retailer in Home windows 11 will include this function.
“To make it simpler for purchasers to transition to their new PCs shortly and seamlessly, we are going to quickly check a brand new function in the Home windows Insider channel that helps prospects routinely restore their apps, beforehand put in from the Microsoft Retailer, to their new Home windows gadget. his will even assist builders retain their prospects with out having to remind prospects to re-download their app.”
As well as, Microsoft introduced some new Retailer options as properly. The corporate says that it’s going to quickly enable customers to find apps straight from the Search bar on Home windows by displaying search outcomes from the Microsoft Retailer. This can scale back the variety of steps required to put in an app as it will straight be accessible from the search bar itself. The corporate is taking this transfer because the variety of apps which might be out there on the Microsoft Retailer will increase. Apps comparable to Firefox, Zoom, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and OBS Studio are all straight out there for set up from the Microsoft Retailer.
Challenge Volterra
One of many surprising bulletins from Construct 2022 was the Challenge Volterra. Challenge Volterra is an ARM-based Mac mini-like small PC that may enable builders to construct and check Arm64-native apps for Home windows. Since that is an ARM-powered gadget, it makes use of a Qualcomm Snapdragon “flagship” processor, although the precise mannequin of the chipset is unknown. A lot of the main target is on AI-accelerated workloads, and because of this, it incorporates a devoted neural processing unit (NPU).
Whereas the {hardware} specs are unknown, the pictures present us that the Challenge Volterra gadget can have three USB ports, an Ethernet port, and a show port on the again. There are two USB-C ports on the facet, and the fabric used to construct that is recycled ocean plastic. Microsoft hasn’t revealed the pricing and even the discharge date of the gadget. However the firm says that it’s going to share extra particulars “at a later date.”
Challenge Volterra is not a shopper gadget that everybody can order. That is extra of a developer-only toolkit that may enable them to construct Arm64 apps and be prepared for the long run. With this challenge, and the truth that Visible Studio 2022, Visible Studio Code, Home windows Terminal, and different developer instruments will work natively on ARM, Microsoft appears to be pushing builders to make ARM apps for Home windows 11 — regardless that we’re but to see many ARM-powered Home windows 11 units. “We’re additionally onerous at work serving to many open-source tasks natively goal Arm, together with Python, Node, git, LLVM, and extra,” Microsoft govt Panos Panay mentioned.
New Microsoft Groups options and OneNote Design
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Lastly, Microsoft additionally introduced new options coming to a few of its core apps. Beginning off with OneNote, Microsoft introduced that it’s giving OneNote a visible refresh. The design seems to be extra in line with the opposite Home windows 11 apps. The navigation part, full-screen mode, part tabs, and the pocket book dropdown all have been given a brand new UI remedy with rounded corners and revamped animations. The corporate can also be including a few options to the app, comparable to web page sorting, a brand new share window, and an up to date draw tab.
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Microsoft can also be including new options to its ever-so-popular Groups app. The brand new Dwell Share function will enable individuals to co-create and co-edit issues proper throughout the assembly, extending the display screen share perform even additional. The corporate is working with builders from Body.io, Hexagon, Skillsoft, MakeCode, Accenture, Parabol, and Breakthru to supply the brand new performance. The corporate showcased a demo on the Hexagon app whereby customers have been capable of zoom in, annotate, and edit 3D fashions collectively in real-time throughout a Microsoft Groups assembly.
That is just about all the things Microsoft introduced on the Construct 2022 occasion. About which Home windows 11 upcoming function are you enthusiastic about? What are your ideas on Challenge Volterra? Tell us in the feedback part under!
