Microsoft has accidentally revealed a UI design prototype for Windows, offering a potential glimpse at what future versions of the operating system might look like. Slides shown during the company’s recent Ignite 2022 event suggest that the company is planning to introduce a floating task bar, system icons in the top right, a floating search box in the top middle, and the weather in the top left. The changes appear to be inspired in some part by macOS.
From a Windows Central report:
My inbox has since been filled with people asking if I know anything about this design. Is it just a wishful concept by an eager intern or a miscommunication between product and design teams? Normally, I’d have shrugged this off as one of those things, except I’ve seen this design prototype before.
Back when I first began hearing about the Next Valley release, I was also shown preliminary design ideas that were being explored internally. Microsoft is still in the prototyping stages for Next Valley, but my sources tell me that the UI briefly shown off at Ignite yesterday is representative of the design goals that Microsoft is hoping to achieve with the next version of Windows.
Microsoft rolled out its first major update for Windows 11 last month in the form of the Windows 11 2022 Update, introducing a tabbed File Explorer, enhancements to Snap layouts, and more. The operating system launched just over a year ago, on October 5, 2021.
Discussion (7 replies)
Join Discussion →Could it get any more Macintosh?
I would immediately re dock my task bar. Some of these ui tweaks to appeal to Mac users and gain market share are wasted. Ms needs to integrate seamlessly into the apple apace like they do with windows. And that won't happen with apples walled garden. When though Ms is why Apple is still a thing today.
Could it get any worse? Is this a tablet OS now? Oh right, they wanted that since 8, at least stop forcing users to upgrade.
I am of the opinion that the Desktop OS gets more insignficant as the years go by.
Sure, you need some sort of operating system - but exactly what that is has almost become a commodity item any more.
I interact with the Start Menu ... almost never. And on the occasions when I do, it's just to use Search.
That said - I don't want an always-open Search widget on my desktop either ...
I was going to suggest something but the short version is simpler: why can’t they just have UI options like Linux?
Cause you know, UI bars and crap like floating, or, gasp! Transparent, it just sooooooo complicated for an international trillion dollar company... Let alone multiple desktop views you can flip around, jeez, why not the moon, and mars while you are at it.
The Windows OS desktop is developed by a team of monkeys on crack and LSD. Microsoft invents half a dozen new development frameworks every couple of months and deprecates existing ones just as fast. They can't settle on a technology. Don't blame the monkeys. ?