The second coming of Windows 11 is almost upon us. Is it worth trying to upgrade? We’ve taken a look at the latest preview of the 2022 release of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.
Windows 11 launched in October 2021 with some controversial changes. The first was a significantly reduced list of compatible hardware (compared to its predecessor, Windows 10). The second was a redesigned user interface that seemed pretty much guaranteed to enrage customers still angry since the Windows 8 and 8.1 Start menu fiasco.
But hey, the corners of the window were rounded (sometimes) and you don’t really care that right-clicking on the taskbar no longer gives the task manager options, do you?
It’s fair to say that the OS hasn’t been a smash hit for Microsoft (as evidenced by OS usage stats – though the company has bravely insisted that adoption was excellent), but it’s still early days and companies were still likely to avoid until the first major update (even without the draconian hardware requirements, which made a lot of fleets obsolete companies’ existing equipment).
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With the code switching to the Release Preview channel of the Windows Insider program, and its arrival on Windows Update for Business, a release is looming. The question is, given Microsoft’s drip feed of minor updates since release: what’s new this time around?
The good news, at least for businesses, is that the answer isn’t that much. At least, not much that might scare the horses. However, that means there’s not much to tempt the holdouts.
The start menu
While the hardware requirements (for a recent CPU and TPM hardware) remain in place, despite a slightly embarrassing show earlier this month where it appears someone at the company’s Redmond HQ forgot to enable verification of the processor, the controversial new Start menu has been updated. Apps can now be pinned to folders and it is possible to see more apps or stick to the recommendations view.
`Folders in the Start menu (Click to expand)
Unfortunately, features taken for granted by Windows 10 fans remain inactive: drag-and-drop remains very limited, and third-party options (such as Stardock’s Start11) are needed to restore some of what Microsoft has decided you don’t. didn’t need in Windows 11.
The bottom line for business is that users will still need to retrain before venturing near the user interface – for reasons known only to Microsoft.
In addition to updates to the Start menu itself, Microsoft has also added a few gestures for touchscreen users: swipe up to show the Start menu, swipe left to show all apps, and swipe down right to return to pinned apps. It’s an improvement, but it all feels like window dressing compared to user complaints that Windows 10 days are missing.
Other UI changes include window snapping improvements and something distinctly cosmetic in the form of a volume control to dispense with some of the last remnants of the Windows 8 era.
Energetic efficiency
The Windows team has already revamped the veteran Task Manager app (the changes are mostly cosmetic), though the efficiency mode that can be enabled for processes will be of interest to admins looking for ways to save power. without resorting to suspending background processes.
Similarly, Windows 11 22H2 will also try to install its updates when the local electricity supply is from renewable sources, assuming it has access to data streams containing this information. From a business perspective, it is hoped that an administrator has sufficient control over an organization’s fleet.
Security
One of Microsoft’s justifications for its hardware compatibility list was security, and lurking in Windows 11 is Smart App Control to prevent users from running untrusted or unsigned apps (although you need one). new installation of Windows 11 to use it – after all, an existing installation could already be compromised) and an improved Windows Sandbox with ARM64 support.
Perhaps most important from a security perspective is the eventual removal of SMB1 support (the Home edition is the last to remove the protocol.) Of course, administrators can reintegrate the support into the platform, but it’s probably as good an excuse as any to finally rid an organization of the devices that still depend on it.
Slightly more concerning to consumers, however, is that users will need a Microsoft account to set up a Windows 11 system. Businesses and schools will not be affected (since users will already have an account with their organizations) but the change could come as a shock to users accustomed to running locally.
Other useful adjustments in the area of security administration include new mobile device management (MDM) policies to further control devices, as well as support for Designated Resolver Discovery (DDR).
Accessibility
Finally, there are improvements in both Narrator (with new voices for text-to-speech) and Live Captions, for captioning audio coming out of the PC; handy not just for the hearing impaired, but for anyone who has trouble concentrating on audio (although the feature is only in English at the moment).
Microsoft hasn’t confirmed when the second coming of Windows 11 will arrive. The release isn’t the big bang of some versions, a reflection of Windows 11’s update mechanism, but still irons out some of the edges. the roughest.
Administrators have been given more control over the operating system, but for organizations contemplating the impending cut in support for Windows 10, training will still be required – along with an explanation of why what could have worked in Windows 10 does not work. does not work on Windows 11.
And the Redmond team may not be done yet. A refreshed File Explorer – filled with tabs – recently appeared in the Windows Insider beta channel (although it hasn’t reached the release preview yet.)
Soon on Windows 11? (Click to enlarge)
Ultimately, Windows 11 22H2 will likely be the version companies loyal to the Windows world will adopt. The operating system has had a year to stabilize and just about any new device will be able to run it without falling into Microsoft’s hardware hurdles. And, perhaps most importantly, there’s not much to cause alarm (at least not since the initial release.)
That is, let’s face it, how much the admins love it. ®
