There is no doubt that when talking about the Redmond giant, we find that one of the first products, if not the first, that comes to mind, is Windows. In fact, if we focus on the most current version of the system, Windows 10, we are talking about the most used desktop operating system in the world. In fact, after the withdrawal of official support for Windows 7, at the moment this version of the software has practically no rival on desktop computers.
But as we mentioned, this is a company that does not stop growing in every way, getting fully involved in new projects, as is the case with the one we are going to talk about now. Specifically, we refer to Windows 10X, a new operating system that many users have been looking forward to for a long time. In fact, in these moments we could say that a good part of the efforts of Redmond is focused on this product.
This is something quite logical to anticipate, especially if we take into account that shortly, throughout these years, Microsoft will launch the definitive version of Windows 10X, For those who have not heard much about this product, we will say that it is actually it is a new operating system that could be considered as a modernized Windows. Therefore it is easy to imagine that it adapts to the most recent technologies that we are seeing throughout these last months.
In fact, we refer to a product that has been specifically designed to work mainly on tablets and computers with touch screens and dual screens. Keep in mind that the software will not be as open as Windows 10. With this, what we want to say is that, among other things to make it more secure and stable on these computers, it will be more limited in some functions.
At the same time, we must know that we are going to find an operating system, based on Windows 10, more elegant and faster than current versions of Microsoft software. That is why it could be considered as a Lite version of the system for low and mid-range equipment. That is why in these same lines we will talk about the most important functions and characteristics that you are going to find here.
One of the main characteristics that define this new Microsoft operating system is that, among others, it is capable of working on devices with two screens. Many manufacturers hope that this is a format of equipment that over time will spread much more among users than is currently done. Aware of all this, those of Redmond want to make available to all these, users and manufacturers, a platform specially designed for this.
One of the sections, among the many that Windows 10 natively makes available to us, that has been criticized the most in recent times, is the Start menu.
This is an extremely important item for Redmond but rarely used by most users, at least in its current design. They prefer to use other avenues too, for example, access their favorite programs. Thus, they prefer to use the taskbar or desktop shortcuts to avoid opening the Start menu.
At this point, something we must bear in mind is that unlike Windows 10 or Windows 8, Windows 10X does not come with the traditional Live Tiles. This is something we already know, so Windows 10X uses static icons similar to the ones we can find at the moment in Google's ChromeOS, for example. And it is that the aforementioned Live Tiles have not had the expected acceptance over the years. Therefore, for Microsoft Store applications and Microsoft Edge progressive web applications, icons will be used in three sizes that we can customize.
On the other hand, when it comes to the Action Center, it also has a new look in Windows 10X. In this case, it comes with a floating Action Center that is also included in the system tray of the taskbar. Of course, unlike Windows 10, the Action Center in this case puts a greater emphasis on quick actions. This means that the notification area will not be visible all the time and the Action Center will not cover the entire screen. Also here we find new volume controls, power options, and percentage of available battery.
As we have seen over time, although this new Redmond operating system is based on the original Windows 10, they differ in many things. As an example, here we also tell you that in modern software, Windows 10X, the firm has completely eliminated the Control Panel. This is something that has been talked about for a long time. As a substitute for this and as expected, all system configurations are offered from the same Configuration application.
In this way and using the Settings application that we mentioned, we will have the possibility to customize the Action Center, change the desktop wallpaper, activate the transparency effect for the taskbar, and much more. It is also worth noting that from this same section we can manage Windows updates. In fact in the new system, these are already separated from other components such as drivers or applications, all working and updating individually.
Another very beneficial point that we find here is that Windows 10X is capable of applying these updates in less than 90 seconds. In part, this is something you accomplish by saving the update package to a different partition. Once this is done, the data on it is moved to another partition and replaced during the restart of the computer.
The search engine is one of those elements that Microsoft has not stopped improving and optimizing its operating system over the years. But with everything and with it, we also see changes in this same sense in Windows 10X. And it is that in this specific case we find that the Windows Search function is now one more part of the Start Menu and it appears at the top of this section.
We must also bear in mind that this search tool will be very useful, such as Windows 10 Search, to locate files locally and in the cloud. But that is not all that we will find in the new and redesigned Start menu of the modern operating system. And it is that it will also act as a powerful application launcher that will allow us to run the installed UWPs in a faster and more accessible way.
We also find that Windows 10X launches a new system of dynamic wallpapers. This is something that may already be somewhat familiar to some users of Apple's macOS system. Well, now Microsoft makes use of something similar to give Windows 10X a more modern look as well as attractive. It is worth mentioning that this new system of dynamic wallpapers stands out for offering us the possibility of changing the content of that desktop background, depending on several factors.
To give us an idea of how it all works, the same background can present designs depending on the time of day, for example. At the same time, these dynamic funds may have other additional elements depending on the weather of the area at that time. There is no doubt that this is a more aesthetic factor than anything else, but that it will be highly attractive to many users.
It was expected, we refer to the changes, some more profound than others, that this new Windows 10X was going to add to the existing operating system. Another of the many that we find refers to the keyboard that includes Microsoft's own software. It is worth mentioning that this new keyboard we are talking about is an updated and improved version of the digital keyboard that we currently find in Windows 10 tablet mode.
Among many other functions and improvements, in this case, we can highlight a more functional and integrated interface with the device itself. This, how could it be otherwise, becomes even more apparent if we work on a team with a double screen based on the new system. In turn, we have the possibility of finding both GIFs and Emojis directly in the two panels included in this virtual keyboard without the need for expansions. Other elements of interest here are a search box, as well as a new layout of the keys to make typing easier and more comfortable in this way.
To all this that we have discussed, the arrival of a virtual Windows 10X trackpad must be added. This can be handled from the or the screens of the device itself and could be considered intelligent. The reason for this is that this element in question adapts to the mode of use of each app we use, and also appears only when we really need it.
This is a topic that has been speculated for a long time when it comes to traditional Windows 10. Specifically, we refer to the possibility that it only supports UWP applications from the official system store, the Microsoft Store. In this way, the usual Win32 applications that most of us download from various websites and install here would be discarded.
Well, this is something that will finally take place in Windows 10X, all for a variety of reasons. As we mentioned, this is a more closed and limited operating system than the traditional one. In this way, the firm will have much more control over the interfaces and operating modes of the third-party programs that are installed.
In addition, by using only programs from the store under their UWP platform, they also cover a good part of what related to security. And is that by not being able to install applications from outside the store, Win32, the arrival of viruses and malicious software to Windows is largely avoided.
The first thing to make clear is that Windows 10X is not just another update to the Windows 10 that we all use. Nor is it a successor. Not even an alternative. It is a new operating system that, although it shares many similarities with the current Microsoft system, actually has a large number of differences with it.
The first thing to differentiate is the target audience. Windows 10 is an operating system "for everyone". Any user can buy a license on their own and install it on a computer, laptop, or on the machine they want. 10X is different. This system is designed for ARM devices with a touch screen (tablets, especially) and can only be purchased and installed by manufacturers.
This new operating system will only be compatible with Windows 10 UWP applications. For performance, security, and battery life reasons, you will not be able to run Win32 applications. Although it is true that Microsoft is working on a cloud-based compatibility layer for these types of programs, at first we cannot count on it.
The graphical interface is also different. In addition to being designed with the dual-screen in mind, the start menu, the application launcher, and everything else have already been redesigned. We can even configure dynamic backgrounds, while the desktop version does not allow it.
Although this new operating system was going to be focused on dual-screen devices, Microsoft has not had time to manufacture its new Surface, the flagship device that was going to release this system. For this reason, the company will launch in spring 2021 the first version of Windows 10X for ARM devices that want to use it. This version is, broadly speaking, a "beta", since there are functions (among them, the support for double touch screens) that will not be included. It will not be until the first half of 2022 when Microsoft launches a new 10X version, much more complete in functions and features (such as dual screen support) that will allow us to experience the full potential of this system.
Windows 10X is going to be an exclusive operating system for OEM devices. That is, only manufacturers will be able to install this system on their factory ARM machines. Therefore we will not have an ISO that we can download to install it on any PC. However, there are already tools created by the community. These allow us to install this system, along with its drivers, on any computer, even on Intel and AMD processors.
It will be a matter of time to see if Microsoft finally allows this system to be installed as a "light" alternative to normal Windows 10. Further measures may be put in place to prevent it from being installed on desktops or notebooks for which it is not designed.
This new Windows will be free for users, as only OEM manufacturers can install and market it. And these will already include the price of the license in the final price of the product.