What You Need to Know About Windows 11
Windows 11 was announced on Tuesday, October 5th, 2021. We’ve covered some of the excellent features of Windows 11 in a previous blog post. We’re rounding up even more of the new operating system’s features in this article. We’re also discussing why you should wait to upgrade if you’re a business.t
New Features of Windows 11
For Windows 11, Microsoft has made multitasking as easy and seamless as possible for its users. The company has stated that they wanted the new design to reflect calm and openness; they wanted the new design to center around the user. This is one of the ways that Microsoft has prioritized multitasking.
The biggest change users may notice is that the start menu and taskbar are now in the center of the screen, rather than at the sides. The start menu has also been changed to provide users quick access to their content and apps. Microsoft has also changed the news and interest section, like what you may find on a mobile phone. In addition, they’ve added widgets, which can offer a personalized feed powered by AI and the internet. When a user opens their feed, they can view their calendar, to-do lists, weather forecasts, and more. We expect this feature to be more helpful as companies integrate it with their software suites.
Windows 11 also includes a feature specifically for multi-taskers called snap layouts and groups. They’ve also added the ability to have multiple desktops – more about that here. Desktops are customizable with different sets of applications and programs; the goal is to help users stay organized and focused on their tasks.
The hope with these features is that users can optimize their activities across their screen.
There’s more to Windows 11 than just a creative upgrade. Windows 11 is now much more inclusive for people with disabilities. They now offer Narrator, Magnifier, Closed Captions, and Windows Speech Recognition programs to support people with disabilities.
One other notable improvement is that Microsoft has improved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features. The goal is to allow users to connect with devices much faster. The program also starts faster and updates more quickly than other Windows versions.
If you use 3D Viewer, Paint 3D, Skype, or OneNote for Windows 10, the apps will no longer be automatically installed with a new installation. Instead, a user can download these apps from the Microsoft Store.
Should I upgrade to Windows 11?
We suggest waiting for the first major feature update. Our team has been testing it internally, and while it has been going well, we think it’s best to wait for the first major to be released in 2022. Before the official release, Windows 11 was only tested with experienced users in a controlled environment, like our internal testing team. The launch has been Windows 11’s first real interaction with ‘real life’ – inexperienced users, different technologies (USB devices, wireless internet, Internet of Things devices). We’re not sure how well it works in business environments yet, but we’re learning more each week.
Things tend to break when new operating systems are released publicly, and Microsoft starts fixing them. Each month, Microsoft will release patches for these issues, then more significant semi-annual feature updates to enhance the experience. Once several patches are released and at least one feature update, the operating system will be more stable.
As these major updates are released, our team will continue to test them. Then, after we’re confident Microsoft has worked out any kinks, we will integrate Windows 11 into our standard offering. Until then, if you’re a SIRKit client and have any questions about Windows 11, please reach out to your vCIO or our service desk at support@sirkit.ca.