by With over a billion PCs running some form of Windows, there’s a lot of news about the operating system every week. But it’s rare to see stories about Windows 12, Windows 11, and Windows 10 in seven days. However, that’s exactly what happened, as three major versions of Windows made headlines this week.
In addition to the Windows news, we saw Lenovo show off a laptop with a rollable screen at Mobile World Congress 2023 and Dell launch the XPS 15, 17 and Desktop.
Windows 11 Feature Update
The first major feature reduction of the year for Windows 11 was shipped this week. The update doesn’t have an official name, but it brings several new features and improvements to the operating system. Windows 11 features a touch-optimized taskbar, tabs in Notepad, and preview support for Phone Link for iPhone. Here’s a quick overview of what’s new:
- Bing Chat in Windows Search
- New taskbar search field options
- Touch-optimized taskbar for tablets and 2-in-1 devices
- Modernized taskbar overflow menu in system tray
- Phone Link for iOS (Preview)
- Tabs in Notepad
- Screen recording in the Snipping Tool
- Search in Task Manager
- Energy recommendations in Settings
- Voice access improvements
- Newly designed Quick Assist app
- Full-screen widgets panel with support for third-party widgets
- AI-powered file recommendations in Start for AAD-connected devices
- Windows Studio Effects in Quick Settings
We have a guide on how to get the new Windows 11 feature update right away. If you’d rather wait, the update will ship on March 14, 2023 to supported PCs.
Windows 12 leak
Leaked information that emerged this week suggests that Microsoft is working on Windows 12. A side deleted the tweet @leaf_hobbywhich has a track record of revealing information about Intel hardware, stated that Windows 12 is on the supported OS list for Intel’s upcoming Meteor Lake-S desktop chipset.
This isn’t the first we’ve heard about Windows 12, but it’s another piece of information that suggests a new OS is in the works by Microsoft. Our senior editor Zac Bowden reported that Microsoft moved to a new Windows development cycle back in July 2022. In the same report, Bowden shared that the next major version of Windows is in the early planning stages and could come out in 2024.
Windows 10 gets users
With Windows 12 reports in the news and Windows 11 getting an update, it might come as a surprise that Windows 10 made headlines. According to Statcounter, the legacy operating system took a significant market share in January 2023, increasing from 68.86% to 73.31%.
While several factors may be at play, it seems likely that the uptick occurred due to both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 reaching the end of support last month. PCs shipped with these operating systems are unlikely to meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11, leaving Windows 10 as the only option.
Bing gets a tone shift
Bing Chat continues to get new features on a regular basis. This week, Microsoft launched the ability to change the tone of Bing Chat between more creative, more balanced and more precise. The chatbot will adjust its priorities to be factual, entertaining or somewhere in between at the push of a button.
Microsoft has also added lap counters to the Bing chat experience, making it easier to keep track of how close you are to the six turns per session limit.
Rollable Lenovo laptop
Mobile World Congress 2023 went on all week, and one of the most interesting PCs at the event was a concept rollable laptop from Lenovo. Our colleague MrMoble (Michael Fisher) went hands-on with the device.
The laptop has a 12.7-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 16:9 in normal mode. It can then be expanded to create a 15.3-inch screen with an 8:9 aspect ratio.
While the device is only a concept, Lenovo told MrMobile that it prefers “to develop concepts that we have a hope of selling.” While we may not see this exact form factor make its way to consumers, Lenovo could release a similar PC in the future. The company has a track record of shipping experimental PCs, such as the ThinkPad X1 Fold. The Yoga Book 9i.
Dell XPS Desktop, 15 and 17
Dell updated its XPS 15, XPS 17 and XPS desktops with the latest internals from Intel and NVIDIA this week. All the PCs were announced at the beginning of the week. The XPS Desktop was launched first, and then the XPS 15 and 17 went on sale a few days later.
The XPS 15 and 17 have 16:10 displays and run on 13th generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 series graphics. The XPS Desktop also runs on a 13th generation Intel Core CPU and RTX 40 series graphics, but those are the desktop versions of those components.
With the launch of the new XPS series, last year’s models were discounted (XPS 15 and 17, XPS Desktop).
Reviews and editorials
Our experts keep a close eye on the latest news, gadgets and games. This week, our senior editor shared his critique of how Bing Chat is implemented on Windows 11. Our team also reviewed the Dell XPS 2-in-1 and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
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