Microsoft Windows 11 Key Highlights: Here's everything you need to know about upcoming OS

Microsoft Windows 11 Launch Event Key Highlights: Six years after Windows 10 was launched, Microsoft has now announced the ‘next generation’ of its operating system. Here's everything you need to know about Microsoft's upcoming OS.

Microsoft Windows 11 Launch price and feature key Highlights. (Unsplash)

Microsoft finally announced Windows 11 today, nearly six years after it rolled out Windows 10. The company has teased that this version of Windows is “one of the most significant updates to Windows of the past decade.” Users who are updating their devices from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 will probably be in for a surprise, after Microsoft 11 rolls out to them later this year.

From faster and more efficient Windows updates, to a redesigned taskbar with Teams integrated, to a new powerful tore to better gaming performance, Here's everything that we love about Windows 11:

Teams integration with Windows 11

On Windows 10, users had access to Skype as part of the operating system, this is gone on Windows 11. Instead, Microsoft has built-in Microsoft Teams into the operating system. Users will be able to start a call, message or group meeting right from the taskbar.  Skype, meanwhile will be available on the Store, but it won't come installed by default. 

 

Windows 11 looks a lot like Microsoft's missing Windows 10X, including the taskbar and Start Menu

Windows 10X was supposed to arrive later this year, but Microsoft axed it in favour of Windows 11. The company's taskbar design for Windows 10X looks like it has made it to Windows 11, with a few useful additions like advanced window snapping. There's a lot of macOS design influence here as well, which means more blur in the interface and more rounded elements. 

 

Windows Updates are 40 percent smaller, happening in the background now

This one takes the first prize, among all of Microsoft's new features. Microsoft has simply upped the quality of updates with the new mechanism, that should download updates faster and install them without interrupting your work. 

 

Gaming will get better on Windows 11

Windows 11 is getting a cool feature from the Xbox Series X/S which is called Auto HDR. The feature allows users to access High Dynamic Range (HDR) content for DirectX 11 and DirectX 12 games. DirectStorage, another feature from the popular consoles, is coming for faster NVMe drive performance while gaming. 

 

Android apps are coming to Windows via the Amazon App Store

In perhaps the second biggest announcement today, Microsoft is adding native support for Android apps on Windows 11. According to Microsoft, the company will bring support for running Android apps with native-looking icons and windows. They will also be able to update via the Windows Store that will tie in with the Amazon App Store to source the APKs needed to install these apps.