Microsoft originally promoted Windows 10X as a tailor-made solution for 2-in-1s and a new class of foldable devices, but we now know with some confidence that the software giant will bring its next operating system to mainstream laptops.
The news comes after Microsoft accidentally leaked internal documents online (discovered by Twitter user WalkingCat). The pages were quickly deleted, but not before several media outlets recorded the juicy details.
Perhaps the most interesting information is that Windows 10X will have a different user interface depending on the device you are using.
“For both collapsible and collapsible, the taskbar will be the same base model with a series of ‘levers’ that can be pulled to create some alternatives in the model,” the document said, according to The edge.
This sounds similar to how Windows 10 transforms when you turn a traditional laptop into a tablet, either by detaching it as a stand or flipping the screen back.
We also expect Windows 10X to bring improvements to Windows Hello, Microsoft’s multi-factor authentication software. Instead of lifting a curtain to access your desktop, Windows 10X will immediately boot you into your system the moment it recognizes you. This, along with Microsoft’s new Modern Standby feature, should significantly reduce the time it takes you to get back to your PC after you’ve opened the lid.
Another interesting change is that the Start menu, or the Windows icon in the lower left corner, will be renamed Launcher. It will focus more on local search, so you’ll be able to see web results, available apps, and specific files on your device. “Recommended content is dynamically updated based on the most frequently and recently used apps, files, and websites,” the document reads.
File Explorer is getting a huge update. The app where your files are stored and managed will apparently have a modern, touch-enabled version of the Universal Windows App (UWP) launching when Windows 10X launches.
Along with a simplified File Explorer, Windows 10X will also arrive with a new Action Center, the notification center where you can quickly adjust important settings. In the new operating system, Wi-Fi, mobile data, Bluetooth, airplane mode, rotation lock and projection will be default quick settings, although you will still be allowed some level of customization.
Microsoft has remained coy about Windows 10X since revealing the new operating system earlier this year. In fact, this accidental leak gives us more information than Microsoft shared at its Surface event. We expect to hear more about the operating system as devices like Microsoft’s foldable PC, the Surface Neo, get closer to launching in late 2020.
