Now that the Windows 10 Creators Update is rolling out to PCs across the world, Microsoft is ready to start talking about its next big OS upgrade. And it packs in even more new features than the last big update. Don’t expect any catchy new names though: It’s called the Fall Creators Update. Microsoft says it stuck with that moniker because it sees this upgrade as a continuation of the themes it developed with the first Creators Update. That’s to say, the company is still focused on helping consumers be creative.
What’s new?
Microsoft announced the latest update to Windows 10, the Fall Creators Update, and with it some surprises – including iTunes on the Windows Store and cross-platform syncing with the iPhone and Android devices.
Details are still light, but the company revealed at its Build developer conference that the upgrade will show off how Windows ties into the Microsoft Graph, the underlying set of APIs connecting all of its products. That includes the ability to pick up where you left off working on a Windows, iOS or Android device; a universal clipboard that you can access across multiple devices; and Timeline, a feature that will let you jump back in time to a previous work session using, you guessed it, a visual timeline. While we’ve seen similar solutions, like Apple’s hand off feature between Macs and iOS devices, Microsoft’s attempt sounds useful for consumers who work across Windows and other platforms.
Additionally, the Fall Creators Update will be the official debut of Microsoft’s Fluent Design System (previously known as Project Neon). It’s a new interface paradigm for building apps that can work across a variety of devices and input types. While Microsoft is stressing that Fluent Design won’t be a huge visual upgrade from the current version of Windows 10, leaks suggest that it could add some new flourishes. We’re still waiting on more information about how, exactly, Fluent Design will change things for developers, but it sounds like a smart shift for Microsoft, as it expects Windows 10 to reach new types of hardware.
In related news, Microsoft revealed that Autodesk and SAP will be bringing apps to the Windows Store later this year. They’re not meant for everyday consumers, but their addition could be useful for 3D designers and enterprise users. It’s tough to say much about them at this point, but having more-notable companies join the Windows Store could convince other developers to port their apps as well.
Release date?
Microsoft doesn’t have a specific release date in mind for the Fall Creators Update yet, but I will give you a guess as to the general time frame you can expect it. It’s called the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update for a reason; it should be available in the autumn. Precisely when Microsoft won’t say, as it’s still a work in progress, but it will be before winter, so October at the latest.
