At the Microsoft 365 Developer Day, Microsoft is sharing more details on Windows 10X. The company is releasing the new Windows 10X emulator to let developers build and test apps for dual-screen devices as well.

One of the main features of Windows 10X will be fast updates. Microsoft highlighted that updates in Windows 10X will happen in the background, allowing users to install new updates with a single reboot that takes less than 90 seconds. This is possible because in Windows 10X, the OS itself is seaprate from the drivers and apps.

Windows 10X will also allow users to run Win32 apps through a new Win32 container in the operating system. Windows 10X’s Win32 container will allow for improved security, too, while allowing for the usual integration with the OS. Users will be able to download apps from the Microsoft Store, or a website, just like they would normally. Win32 app developers will not have to make any modifications to their apps to make them work well within the Win32 container in Windows 10X.

Windows 10X will also allow Win32 developers to take advantage of dual-screen Windows 10X devices. The new Win32 container does sound pretty great on paper, but Microsoft’s very simple demo of Notepad running on the container failed at the stage during the event.

The Win32 container in Windows 10X is essentially a simplified shell of Win32. It won’t have desktop shell features like system tray applets and File Explorer add-ins. The Win32 container also won’t allow startup tasks to launch at login, and background tasks might be suspended, too.

All of this is because Microsoft wants to focus on battery life and security with Windows 10X.

Developing…

Tagged with Win32, Windows 10, Windows 10X