Microsoft announced in March that it will deliver an Anniversary Update for Windows 10 in the coming months, with reports suggesting that the company is aiming to have the update out by the end of July.
Microsoft said at the time the update will bring an array of changes to Windows 10, including support for Windows Hello’s biometric authentication to apps – such as the Edge browser.
Microsoft also announced the launch of Linux Bash support, which will integrate the Bash command line shell and support for Ubuntu Linux binaries into Windows 10.
The company has now released it latest Preview Build of Windows (14352), which – combined with the new features announced for the operating system – provides insight into what users can expect when the Anniversary Update arrives.
The expected new features are detailed below.
Windows Ink and CortanaWindows 10 PC
Windows Ink lets you use a pen or finger to edit documents in Office apps, access features like Sticky Notes, and draw graphs and charts.
A new Ink feature in Build 14352 is a compass update to the Windows Ink Ruler. If the ruler is oriented in the direction of a cardinal point or midpoint, the compass indicator will become bold.
Updates to Cortana will lets users login using their voice, and allow certain functions before users have logged into Windows.
New Cortana features in Build 14352 let users:
Play music from the Groove Music Catalogue
Set, cancel, and query a timer
New Start Menu and icons
Changes to the Start Menu will roll out with the Anniversary Update, which includes the All Apps list being brought to the forefront, while Settings and Account details will be hidden in a hamburger menu.
Jen Gentleman, a software engineer at Microsoft, posted an animation to show what the changes to the Windows 10 Start Menu will look like.
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Jen Gentleman @JenMsft
By popular request, to ease some concerns, and because @ZacB_ asked nicely, here's the new start menu in action! pic.twitter.com/MiIPO8Epuf
6:27 AM - 4 Apr 2016
210 210 Retweets 303 303 likes
New File Explorer Icon
“Based on Insider feedback, we have updated the File Explorer icon with more colour,” said Microsoft of its Preview Build. (The “Old New” is the Preview Build’s previous version.)
File Explore Newvs Old
Gaming and DirectX 12Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 header
Windows 10 will deliver more “incredible DirectX 12 games” and Xbox Live features, allowing users to play and connect with other gamers across Xbox One and Windows 10 devices.
DirectX12 has been available since Technical Preview Build 10041.
Microsoft said it will also bring a “full portfolio” of new games to Windows 10.
DirectX 12-supported hardware includes Nvidia’s 900, 1000, and Titan range of desktop and laptop GPUs, and AMD’s R9 and R7 series.
Other new featuresWindows gaming
The Windows Game Bar in the new Preview Build features improved full-screen support, with League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Dota 2, Battlefield 4, CS:GO, and Diablo III now supported.
The Feedback Hub in the Preview Build will now feature Microsoft responses in the form of status tags.
Deploying Windows Enterprise editions will be easier in the Preview Build, with a reboot no longer required when upgrading from the Pro to Enterprise edition
Limited Period scanning in the Preview Build can be turned on or off by a user, and provides an additional line of defence in scanning and detecting malware on your device.
