We knew that the Windows 11 leaked construct we tried final week was early and unfinished. What we didn’t know was what extra Microsoft had in retailer for Windows 11—Android apps! Teams chat!—when the corporate formally unveiled the brand new working system on Thursday.
We stay up for exploring a few of these options when Microsoft begins releasing the primary Windows Insider builds of Windows 11 subsequent week. (Not all the brand new options will probably be accessible within the first construct.) Until then, all we now have to go on are the intriguing new teases of latest the Windows 11 options that we didn’t learn about.
Android apps in your Windows 11 PC
Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panay mentioned that he was “pumped” to deliver Android apps to the PC, and why wouldn’t he be? Android apps have been one of many benefits of Google’s Chrome OS platform, which powers competing Chromebooks. Their addition to Windows 11 implies that the variety of apps accessible to Windows PCs will develop probably a lot bigger. Microsoft doesn’t often get away the variety of Windows apps, however in 2018 Microsoft revealed that there have been 35 million Windows-capable apps, together with legacy software program. AppBrain places the variety of Android apps at about three million.
Microsoft Android apps will arrive on Windows 11, nevertheless it’s not clear what number of Windows 11 will obtain.
It’s not clear whether or not Microsoft will deliver each Android app to the PC, as they’ll seem within the Microsoft Store, not a model of the Google Play Store for the PC. Microsoft confirmed off Khan Academy, Kindle Reader, TikTook, and extra in an instance screenshot.
To deliver Android apps to Windows PCs, Microsoft’s utilizing the Intel Bridge expertise, which Intel describes on a excessive degree as a “runtime post-compiler that enables applications to run natively on x86-based devices, including running those applications on Windows.”
It seems like Windows 11 will probably be performing that work in your PC, reasonably than on the Microsoft Store, in order that Windows 11 PCs ought to be capable of sideload Android apps and video games. We nonetheless don’t know whether or not Intel’s Bridge expertise is in some way unique to Intel Core—we’ve requested AMD, Intel and Microsoft for clarification.
Teams Chat in your Taskbar
Like it or not, Microsoft insists that you just be capable of attain contacts simply out of your Windows desktop. It started with the now-defunct People app, then moved to Skype Meet Now in your Taskbar, too. Now it’s shifting on to Teams, placing Teams Chat into your Windows 11 taskbar.
MicrosoftMicrosoft is including Teams Chat to the Taskbar.
“With Windows 11, we’re excited to introduce Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated in the taskbar,” Microsoft mentioned in a weblog submit introducing Windows 11. “Now you can instantly connect through text, chat, voice or video with all of your personal contacts, anywhere, no matter the platform or device they’re on, across Windows, Android or iOS. If the person you’re connecting to on the other end hasn’t downloaded the Teams app, you can still connect with them via two-way SMS.”
DirectStorage and Auto HDR come to Windows
Microsoft has mentioned beforehand that DirectStorage, the storage spine of the Xbox Series X, is coming to PCs —simply not when. Now we all know it should arrive as a part of Windows 11.
DirectStorage is a Windows API that will probably be used to regulate what Microsoft calls the Xbox Velocity Architecture. It’s Microsoft’s method to decreasing the storage capability that an Xbox Series X sport requires, loading the sport and its belongings as shortly as potential. Now it’s coming to Windows.
If you’ve just lately learn our glorious explainer on what HDR is and tips on how to allow it in Windows 10, you’ve gotten a head begin on what this implies for Windows 11: AutoHDR is coming for Windows video games. “When enabled on your HDR capable gaming PC, you will automatically get awesome HDR visuals on an additional 1000+ DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 games!” Hannah Fisher, a program supervisor with…
