So, it is here, Windows 11 has been announced by Microsoft. The next iteration of the widely used operating system was revealed by the tech giant last week, after six years of Windows 10, but what does it mean and should your business adopt it? Allow Neuways to explain…
What has changed in Windows 11?
There are plenty of new features in Windows 11, with many connected to user interface changes. As well as the ability to download and run Android applications on your Windows PC, users will benefit from updates to Microsoft Teams and the Start menu, which has been centered. The overall design is a lot cleaner than previous iterations, and Teams will be integrated directly into the taskbar, making it easier to access than ever – great news for organisations who have been using it a lot over the last 18 months.
There are also a number of productivity-based updates coming, such as easier transitions from monitor to laptop and frequently used applications to be more easily accessible, while a new widgets window provides personalised updates for users. But mainly the change is in the Start menu, which as mentioned, will now be placed in the middle of the taskbar.
Product manager Panos Panay has also promised that there will be smaller and faster security updates which would happen in the background. While Windows 11 will release as a free update to the 1.3 billion devices currently running Windows 10, the devices must have a minimum of 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM available to successfully upgrade.
When is it releasing?
It appears October is the month Microsoft is aiming for. During their Windows 11 presentation last week, there were many mentions of October, without a date being confirmed. Indeed, Microsoft has only said Windows 11 is arriving this “holiday season”.
Should your business upgrade to Windows 11?
It really is a question each business should consider on an individual basis. If your business places a lot of importance upon Microsoft Teams, then the deeper integration of Teams within the new OS might well be worth the upgrade.
Quicker, smaller security updates are also a strong reason to upgrade. The ability Windows 11 has to update itself in the background, causing less intermittent time in between downloads, is a benefit to users as they spend less of their own time updating their devices. Whether or not your business would benefit from the introduction and availability of Android applications on your desktop is down to you too.
If you are interested in finding out more or discussing how updating your devices to Windows 11 could help your business, contact Neuways on 01283 753333 or email hello@neuways.com
