Spring only just got under way, but Microsoft is giving Windows Insiders a taste of summer. Windows Insiders can preview the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which will launch for the OS' entire community this summer.
Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14316, announced on April 6, offers insiders a sneak peak at a feature rich update that also includes a host of fixes for PC.
The update will bring Windows 10 devices closer together, while fleshing out existing features, including Cortana.
Microsoft has expanded Cortana's cross-device support to display low battery notifications remotely, according to Gabe Aul, corporate vice president of the Engineering Systems Team. The feature, which supports Android and Windows Phone hardware, alerts users on their desktops of dying mobile devices' batteries.
The digital assistant has been updated to install language packs based on a given user's region, making it easier to get started with Cortana. It can also now share maps across devices and Microsoft can even help users locate their smartphones, much like iOS' Find My Phone.
"We all lose track of our phone from time to time and now you can ask Cortana to find your phone, regardless of device, on your PC using the new find my phone feature," Aul says in a blog post. "The feature will allow users to locate their phone from their PC through geo-location and by having Cortana ring your phone."
Elsewhere in the preview of the upcoming update, Microsoft has made it possible to run Ubuntu Bash shells natively in Windows 10. And building on its Edge browser's support for extension, Microsoft announced a handful of new plug-ins.
The Action Center also got a good bit of attention. Users can now customize app notifications by specifying which program's alerts are the most important and setting them to sort by priority.
"You can prioritize its notifications in Action Center to be one of 3 levels: Normal, High, or Priority. Additionally, you can also adjust how many notifications are visible per app," says Aul.
Here's a rundown of the other new features available in the preview build of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update:
- Test drive Skype Universal Windows Platform app
- New Emoji
- Expanded Continuum support allows the Connect app to Miracast without Miracast docks or adapters
- Pin a window to every virtual desktop
- Improved battery settings and power saving options
- Windows Update will only operate during preset down times
- The ability to comment in Feedback Hub
Photo: Mike Mozart | Flickr
