A screenshot from Microsoft's Ignite 2022 conference. — Courtesy of Microsoft/AFP Relaxnews
Microsoft unveiled various projects during its Ignite 2022 conference, dedicated to innovation, but several screenshots stood out in particular. These screenshots show a Windows environment that's very different from the one we currently know. In fact, this interface seemed somewhat reminiscent of macOS!
Could Microsoft have unveiled the first image of its next version of Windows, code-named "Next Valley"? During its showcase, the American manufacturer revealed a surprising image of an evolved Windows interface, with a floating taskbar at the bottom of the screen, a floating search space at the top of the screen and the weather on the left.
The images were shared by the Windows Central website, and it is obviously hard to establish whether this is a leak (voluntary or otherwise) of the upcoming Windows 12 operating system. In any case, the challenge for Microsoft in the future will be to offer an interface that's optimized for touch screens, so that its operating system is as easy to use with a mouse as with a finger on-screen, on a computer, a 2-in-1 hybrid device or a tablet. In any case, users will have to wait a little longer to find out, since Windows 12 isn't scheduled for release until 2024 at the earliest.
However, this "inspiration" may not be a coincidence, at a time when Apple has never sold so many computers. In the last quarter, worldwide sales of Macs exceeded 10 million units, according to IDC, a performance that is up 40% year-on-year, while the market has seen a 15% downturn over the same period. This drop has affected all other PC manufacturers.
Indeed, by making its own chips, Apple has managed to produce more computers in recent months, while the competition has been dealing with a shortage of components. Meanwhile, widespread price increases create a historically smaller gap at the top end of the market between conventional PCs and Apple computers. – AFP Relaxnews
