MICROSOFT'S latest operating system, Windows 10, has had a staggeringly strong debut year.
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| More and more people are making the jump to Microsoft's latest operating system |
Microsoft released its new operating system – Windows 10 – back in July.
The redesigned operating system was the first to unite all Windows-powered devices – from sprawling desktop set-ups to svelte smartphones, tablets, Raspberry Pis and even the firm's own Xbox One video game console.
Microsoft announced that Windows 10 would be a free upgrade for anyone running genuine copies of Windows 7 or Windows 8.
However this offer expires on the first year anniversary of the release of the new operating system.
Perhaps spurred on by the end of the upgrade offer, more than 200 million people have upgraded to the latest operating system.
The latest figures come from sources inside Microsoft reporting to WinBeta.
If correct, that means a staggering 40 million new users have installed Windows 10 each month since its release.
The latest install count from the Microsoft press team was revealed back in October, totalling at 110 million installations worldwide.
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| Windows 10 is designed to combine the best elements of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 |
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| Cortana makes her desktop debut alongside a notification menu which sync across Windows devices |
However the US technology giant is still short of their goal of one billion devices in three years – and with the complimentary upgrade offer set to end in July 2016, the number of installs will surely take a hit.
Microsoft recently rolled out its first blockbuster update – codenamed Threshold – to Windows 10 users across the globe, as well as an Android and iOS app for its popular virtual assistant, Cortana.
Threshold – dubbed version 1511 – brought a number of long-awaited features to Windows 10, including improved browsing in Microsoft Edge, better multi-tasking for desktop users and security and stability tweaks, too.
Unfortunately the blockbuster release also included a number of unwanted bugs and glitches.
Microsoft is now looking to add a slew of new functionality in the next major update, dubbed Redstone.
The upcoming Windows 10 update is expected to launch next year, although some features will be made available to Windows Insiders within the coming weeks.
According to The Verge, Microsoft is experimenting with a number of upgrades to Cortana, including allowing the voice assistant to float around the operating system.
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| Not only will Cortana gain more functionality in Redstone, but is expected to become omnipresent |
Microsoft could allow Cortana to follow users as they navigate around the operating system, surfacing useful information based on what users are viewing on-screen.
The nifty context-aware functionality sounds closer to Now On Tap in Android Marshmallow than the infamously annoying Clippy character bundled with Windows 97 to 2003.
Microsoft is also believed to be planning a number of updates to the Notification Centre, also known as Action Centre.
Future versions of this pane are expected to include widgets, offering quick snapshots of data, synced across your Windows 10 devices.
Uber recently updated its Windows 10 app to allow users to book a taxi from the Cortana window. It's possible the Notification Centre widget could boast a similar functionality.
Microsoft is also believed to be looking into a deeper integration between its hugely popular Office 365 services and the Windows 10 OS.
The US technology firm is expected to focus on Task Continuation – a feature that allows users to seamlessly transition between devices and operating systems.
Task Continuation allows users to start a task on one device and then resume and finish it on another.
Microsoft first introduced the ability to sync Cortana's Notebook, which includes your interests, weather preferences and more, from your Windows 10 PC to an iOS or Android via the Cortana app this month.
The Cortana app on Android also allows PC owners to send and receive text messages from their desktop OS. Call notifications will also appear within Windows 10.
Microsoft had previously limited this functionality to customers running Windows 10 on their computer and smartphone.
Task Continuation is expected to get another bump in functionality after Redstone.
The major update is still in the early stages, so some of these details could change and evolve throughout the next few months.
Still, these early rumours and leaks offer a fascinating insight into the priorities for Windows 10 within Microsoft.
Redstone will also reveal how the US firm sees its Windows 10 operating system evolving over the next calendar year.
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