Back in November, the first details emerged of Microsoft"s plans to refresh the look and feel of Windows 10"s user interface. In January, a series of screenshots gave us our first glimpse of the updated design language, which is being developed under the codename, "Project NEON".
The new look won"t be fully implemented until the Windows 10 Redstone 3 update is released later this year, but we"re already starting to get a clearer idea of what Microsoft has in store. Today, a new screenshot has revealed another key element of the design refresh.
Transparent Live Tiles aren"t new to Windows 10 on phones, but the Start menu on PCs currently restricts all tiles to full opacity. On Windows 10 PCs, including in the latest Creators Update, the Start menu itself is slightly transparent, but this transparency will be expanded to the tiles too in Redstone 3, as shown in the above screenshot - a Microsoft concept image for NEON, posted on Twitter by Tom Hounsell.
In recent days, Microsoft has already begun introducing elements of the Project NEON design into some of its Windows 10 apps, including Groove Music, and Movies & TV.
The above screenshot shows a dark taskbar, but Microsoft showed a concept image in February in which a light-themed taskbar was visible, so it"s clear that the company is - at the very least - experimenting with a wider range of customizations for its next major Windows 10 update. Microsoft said at the time that its overall goal with the Redstone wave of updates is to "make beautiful, engaging experiences possible on the Windows platform". This will include a greater focus on typography, along with more blur and glass effects, and updated animations.
Microsoft is likely to provide a more detailed look at its Project NEON plans at its Build 2017 developer conference in Seattle next month. Neowin will be there to bring you details on everything that"s announced, so stay tuned.
Source: @tomhounsell via MSPU