Windows 11 has been around for several months now and while the OS clearly has deficiencies, Microsoft continues to tackle them in Insider builds. Although the operating system shifted to an annual release cadence, the Redmond tech giant has announced today that Windows 11 will get another update next month.
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In a blog post looking back at the past few months and outlining plans for what"s next, Microsoft"s Panos Panay has noted that Windows 11 is entering its final phase of general rollout for compatible devices. It"s been encouraging for the company to see that users are spending 40% more time on their Windows 11 PC versus one that"s running Windows 10. There has also been a threefold increase in traffic being directed to the Microsoft Store.
Microsoft also highlighted how the pandemic has changed habits and lifestyle of its customers. In the past two years, there has been a 6x increase in people using online communication software, a 2x increase in PCs being used for shopping, and a 40% increase in the time people spend shopping online. In the same vein, monthly gaming duration has increased by 35% while time spent on content streaming services like Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube has increased by 70%.
In terms of what"s next, "new experiences" are coming to Windows 11 in February. The highlights of the update include a public preview for Android apps on Windows 11 via Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA), enhancements for taskbar, the return of the weather widget to the taskbar, and redesigned apps for Notepad and Media Player.
Essentially, all the stuff that has been tested by Insiders in the past few months will now be seeded to the general public. Microsoft has emphasized that it hopes to empower even more audiences with its focus on gaming, creativity, and the "metaverse" in 2022 and beyond.