The latest version of Windows 10X has been leaked and the restructured operating system looks a lot like Chrome OS.
This isn’t that bad since Windows needs a bit of a visual update and the Chrome OS-centred taskbar and notification experience aren’t the worst things to copy.
Windows 10X was announced as a lightweight OS to run on foldable/dual-screen devices like the upcoming Surface Neo. Then, during 2020, the company changed its tune and said that Windows 10X will be reworked for single-screen laptops instead. The Verge reports that the types of devices that will run this new OS have similar specs to a Chromebook.
Now that we’ve gotten our first look at the OS it appears as a fairly simple version of Windows 10 that actually looks cleaner than the regular version of the OS to me. If you were able to install it on an existing Windows computer I might even be tempted to take it for a spin on my desktop PC. However, it appears that the OS will only appear on new hardware.
Specifically, the new search screen/app launcher looks really smart by combining recommended apps and files to open. The use of whitespace works really well for this version of Windows and as much as I like the classic Windows 10 Live Tiles this version of Windows looks better without them. However, The Verge reports that this locks you into using Bing Search, which isn’t an awful product, but it’s not Google.
This new OS seems to run similarly to an iPad since it only offers users three window configurations — full screen, half screen or closed. There’s no freeform window sizing in Windows 10X.
The file manager app also seems to be scaled back. The Verge says the app is designed to push users to use Microsoft OneDrive. You can access SD Cards or flash drives that are plugged into the PC and your downloads folder, but that’s pretty much it.
When it comes to apps, it appears that the emulation software needed to run legacy Windows apps in Windows 10X isn’t quite ready, so who knows when that feature is going to be ready.
All in all, this is a cool looking version of Windows, but I’m not sure we needed another OS like Chrome OS. I do hope that some of the visual changes implemented in Windows 10X make their way to the regular version of Windows at some point.
Image credit: The Verge
Source: The Verge
