Redmond is aiming this small machine at Windows developers who want to bring their apps to ARM-powered devices to help populate this category among consumers. This new device offers everything that developers need to build their software for the Windows on ARM platform.

The Dev Kit was originally introduced earlier this year at the BUILD 2022 conference.

It is based upon the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform, which is paired with 32GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. You also get three USB-A and two USB-C ports alongside a Mini DisplayPort that allows connecting up to three monitors, including two at 4K 60Hz.

This device is now the face of Microsoft’s ARM native toolkit that includes preview versions of Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.4, the Windows App SDK, and .NET Framework 4.8.1.

Additionally, the powerful Qualcomm Neural Processing SDK is also part of the package, which gives developers access to the platform’s advanced AI capabilities, such as voice isolation and bokeh image-capturing features of the Surface Pro 9.

As you know, this new lineup now comes in both Intel and ARM flavors.

The launch of this little machine will go a long way toward opening the path for developers to easily bring their experiences to those who have opted for Windows devices based on ARM processors. This, in turn, should help make Windows on ARM a more attractive choice.

The Windows Dev Kit 2023 costs $599, and you can order one right here.

As of this writing, it is available in eight countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Only, their current implementation in the OS is severely limited in terms of form and functionality.

Widget Widgets, what it is now, is simply a cluttered space that reminds us of tabloids.

But that might soon change, as Microsoft is finally ready to unleash third-party widgets. The company announced plans to let developers build their custom creations earlier this year, and the newest documentation published by Redmond shows that it is almost ready for showtime.

The Microsoft Learn website is playing host to a bunch of new articles recently put up that contain detailed descriptions of Windows Widgets, their components, UI elements, design guidelines, interaction manuals — you name it!

More importantly, the software titan describes the principles of good widgets that provide a satisfactory user experience. The main takeaways here for developers are that their widgets should be glanceable, dependable, useful, personal, focused, and fresh.

A handful of articles examine the development process in depth, discussing both the fundamentals and best practices for good design.

A very handy resource for developers, this is straight from the source.

Give it a read.

That’s because the company wants to revise its Windows update schedule again.

Redmond now wants to ship a new version of the OS every three years—just like it was back in the good old days of Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. But during this time span, the company wants to create a constant flow of new features.

This means that major new versions of the operating system will launch every three years, and we will receive a deluge of new features and options during that time.

This new plan also means that Microsoft has scrapped the Sun Valley 3 feature update, the codename of the new version of Windows that was on track to land sometime in 2023. In its stead, we will get a whole new Windows the year after.

2024.

Microsoft also plans to change how it delivers new features to existing OS versions. We have already seen how cumulative updates for Windows 11 often include new features from the main development channel.

Apparently, this plan is part of a new engineering effort called “Moments” that will deliver users a constant flow of software novelties every few months. Say, four times a year.

I’d have called it “Seasons”, but there you have it.

If this report is true, Microsoft will add new capabilities from the Sun Valley 3 update to version 22H2 in 2023 for Windows 11.

Understandably, there is a lot to unpack here. Even though the report is from the most trustworthy sources, nothing is set in stone until Redmond makes it official. Perhaps a company official will touch upon this and share more details.

Until then, take everything here with a grain of the proverbial salt.

We may or may not get Windows 12. In fact, not much is known about the next version of Windows. Other than the fact that the new OS is codenamed “Next Valley” and is currently in the early planning and engineering stages.

The long and short of it is that the next couple of years could be really interesting!

Thoughts?

This is part of the Sun Valley 3 — SV3 for short — update for the platform.

Details about this promising new version continue to pop up every now and then, along with the usual splattering of leaks. Even preview builds like the recently made available build 25131 and build 25120 that landed in the Dev channel are hot stuff right now.

They provide us with our best look at the features Microsoft has in store for the OS for next year.

And while references related to Sun Valley 3 development have surfaced in previous leaks, including one from the software titan itself, a new leak has just been spotted.

Tero Alhonen, an active Microsoft and Windows community member, has revealed some interesting tidbits that hint at the progress of the kernel development of said update.

First up, we have a bunch of Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) contract versions for several Windows versions, including the upcoming Windows 11 23H2 development semester, which Microsoft refers to as the Copper release.

Windows 11, copper release pic.twitter.com/IBrpaANaXM

— Tero Alhonen (@teroalhonen) June 3, 2022

And then we have an image that seemingly shows a Windows 11 23H2 Sun Valley 3 source file compilation.

Windows 11 Sun Valley 3 pic.twitter.com/cEbu6da4Of

— Tero Alhonen (@teroalhonen) June 3, 2022

The above code uses the NTDDI, or NT Device Driver Interface, which Microsoft has long used to refer to Windows versions.

Highly technical stuff, but it shows the progress that the company is making in development of this new version that will take the spotlight next year as a major feature update for the Windows 11 operating system.

Redmond may still be mum on the details, but things are picking up steam for sure!

As official a confirmation as it gets these days.

We heard about this deal a couple of weeks ago when folks close to the matter were claiming that this particular build is the RTM candidate Microsoft has in mind for the next major feature update to its operating system.

Its first, actually.

At that time, it was pure speculation because the company did not deny the claim on social media platforms. But now, the software titan has confirmed the same in official documentation.

In a Tech Community blog post intended for hardware partners, Redmond has outlined the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) for Windows 11 version 22H2:

“Windows 11, version 22H2 certification build

Minimum acceptable build for Windows 11, version 22H2 certification is RTM build (i.e. 22621).”

As clear as it gets.

While this documentation is obviously not intended for consumers, it clearly indicates that the company plans to use this particular build for the final release of this upcoming version of the operating system.

Windows 11 build 22621 was flighted to the Beta channel two weeks ago, and ISOs were released alongside it. Furthermore, Microsoft removed the Insider watermark from this build, lending further credence that it was indeed an RTM build.

All this also lines up with a previous report that claimed that May 24 was going to be the date when Microsoft would sign off Windows 11 version 22H2.

Bang on time!

For instance, those humongous menus in Edge continue to get bigger with each new moon.

This and more feedback have been published in a monthly Top Feedback Summary for Edge post by the software titan at its Tech Community forum. The list features the most popular feedback that the company received from users and how it plans to address it.

Edge users will be pleased to know that Microsoft is aware of the most popular complaints and is taking steps to resolve them.

These include those obnoxiously large context menus, download shelves, and more.

For starters, many Edge users agree that the browser’s menus have grown too big—both the main menu and the context menus. On some devices, the context menus do not even fit on the screen because they are too long or even too wide.

Microsoft has confirmed that they are attempting to address these pain points.

These promised attempts will appear in the Canary channel soon before being rolled out to the stable version of the web browser.

Another thing that customers want from Microsoft is the good old download shelf that appears at the bottom of the screen when a file is downloaded. The company reveals that an alternative is being planned for this idea, and a future update will include a new view for this feature.

And though no specific time frames have been mentioned for the below ideas, these are also being considered by Microsoft to be implemented:

• Close tabs with a double-click
• A better way to close vertical tabs
• The option to move vertical tabs to the right
• Better tools for managing audio and video autoplay
• Always open favorites in a new tab
• Search in Collections
• Respect default PDF viewer

Pretty good ideas, more or less, and all would be very welcome if implemented correctly.

Other features are desired by Microsoft Edge users, but the company does not plan to implement them yet. You can gather their details at the link above.

The start of what will eventually become the version of the OS that graces PCs in the year 2023.

While the upcoming version of the operating system is not too high on new features, there is talk that Microsoft will go all out for this release. At least, the company has promised this, and now we can see it in action.

Interestingly, this first build is not too high on new features — there is but one notable new addition.

But we know that this build will not be available for ARM64 PCs, and it is not far from what Windows Server vNext build 25110 is using for its kernel.

Additionally, the Sound Recorder app preview has been moved from the Beta channel to this build, indicating that this new feature will not be part of the upcoming Windows 11 22H2. This makes sense when you think about it.

As for the new feature, Windows Insiders have one new thing to take for a test drive, and that new option goes by the name of Suggested Actions.

It works as follows: When you copy a phone number, Windows will pop up an inline light dismissible UI that suggests ways to call the given phone number using Teams or other installed applications that offer click-to-dial functions.

Likewise, when copying a date or time, Windows will pop up an inline light dismissible UI that suggests creating the event using supported calendar applications. When a user selects his or her preference, the app is launched with its corresponding calendar event page with an auto-filled date and time.

Nifty little feature, this, very welcome.

As for the rest, Microsoft updated the icons in the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) on this build. And then follow a whole bunch of fixes in this build, to go with a couple of known issues that testers need to be aware of before installing it.

The software titan also noted that the desktop watermark we all know and love is back in the lower right corner of the screen, which is par for the course for these prerelease builds.

The most recent title in the series, Forza Horizon 5, was an instant success when it was released late last year. The game received universal acclaim and garnered over 10 million players just in its first week.

With this kind of success, it comes as no surprise that Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios are anxious to get started with the follow-up.

And get started they have, it seems.

A recent job posting by developer Playground Games for a level designer has revealed that the sixth installment in the Forza Horizon series is in development—almost certainly only in the pre-production stage at this early stage, with full-scale production beginning sooner rather than later.

https://twitter.com/IdleSloth84/status/1523685539802599424

Good stuff.

This listing comes barely six months after the launch of Forza Horizon 5, which shows Microsoft’s confidence in the series.

The listing notes that as a member of the design team on this AAA title, the level designer will be responsible for large sections of the game’s level design. He or she will also be tasked with mentoring and leading junior teammates.

Playground Games, of course, became part of what is now known as Xbox Game Studios in 2018. They are also developing the reboot of the classic franchise Fable.

Sensational company!

Though, naturally, nothing is ever guaranteed in the real of operating system development.

For its part, Microsoft released Windows 11 build 22610 a few days ago. This version of the preview came loaded with small new features and was made available to testers in the Beta and Dev channels of the Windows Insider Program.

Obviously, it did not include anything major or a blockbuster addition. This build was mainly focused on squashing bugs and optimizing performance.

Despite this, one thing that caught users’ attention was the fact that the ‘technical preview’ watermark was not present on the desktop. This is usually an indication that a new major version of the OS is about to hit the RTM (return to manufacturing) status.

That is, the final bits of the OS would be handed off to vendors to put on their upcoming machines.

There are now murmurs that Windows 11 22H2 will reach RTM status this month. And multiple sources seem to hold this view.

Nickel RTM is due* this month.

*Doesn't mean it's guaranteed

— Xeno (@XenoPanther) May 1, 2022

On the opposing end of the spectrum, there are other voices that add to the degree of uncertainty here, saying that we should expect Redmond to finalize this version at the end of June. Goes without saying that we should take all of this with a healthy helping of salt, as nothing is confirmed yet.

What we do know is that Sun Valley 2, with the codename of the 22H2 release, will be the only major update to the operating system this year.

This is the norm now, ever since Microsoft switched to an annual cadence.

Considering that 22H2 could reach RTM status this month, now might be a good time for you to enroll in the Release Preview or Beta channels as an Insider for a chance to get early access to the final bits ahead of general availability.

Redmond has been warning for weeks that the Dev channel will soon start flighting Sun Valley 3 builds, the next version of Windows 11 destined to arrive in 2023.

The company has, however, signaled a renewed focus on the OS during the Windows 11 launch event.

As part of this effort to boost the operating system’s popularity, Redmond moved parts of Windows development under the watchful control of Panos Panay. The result is that the developer experience teams are now part of the primary Windows team.

Windows has been on the back burner for the last couple of years, with the software Titan only shipping minor improvements to the OS.

But this is a fact that looks set to change.

Later this year, Microsoft will begin rolling out version 22H2 of the operating system, which goes by the codename of Sun Valley 2. This update will be similar to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which did not bring much in terms of platform innovation to the operating system.

Beyond this is where the game gets more exciting.

Sun Valley 3 has been referenced in a Microsoft document once before, and now the company has popped up another reference in a recent webcast. In true Microsoft fashion, there are hints scattered for this upcoming version of the OS.

It goes by the name Version 23H2, but Sun Valley 3 and SV3 are also codenames for it.

And as the above screenshot shows, PowerPoint Live notes mention something along the lines of “SV3 Refined Investments Next Step” pointing to greater focus from Redmond on the next big release of Windows 11.

It is too early to speculate on what exactly this version will bring, but it is likely that Sun Valley 3 will address the shortcomings of the new taskbar and tablet experience. Both are areas where the OS currently lacks in terms of code debt and missing features compared to Windows 10.

Although Microsoft has not confirmed anything yet publicly, but Copper preview releases are expected to arrive in the second half of 2022 when the company begins testing of Sun Valley 3.

We will see what those refined investments are, then.