Soon after the release of the massive Windows 10 Preview Build 15002, Microsoft has released build 15007 for PC and Mobile. Why the rush, and could this mean that Windows 10 Creators Update is already nearing its official release?
A mere three days after the feature-rich Windows 10 preview build 15002, Microsoft as pushed another update – build 15007 – to Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring, which brings even more features to Microsoft Edge, the default browser on Windows 10. The new build not only allows you to set aside a group of tabs, but now also share it with someone else. It also lets you import all your bookmarks and other saved data from other browsers.
Also on Edge is Ink integration into Web Notes, which allows you to make annotations directly onto web pages. According to Dona Sarkar, a software engineer with Microsoft’s Windows and Devices Group:
“Tap the pen or highlighter in Web Notes, and you will now see the full set of Windows Ink colors, as well as the new slider released for Windows Ink with Build 14986.”
Cortana gets new functionality on Action Center as well, letting you save links for use on other Windows 10 devices. Sarkar explains:
“For example, if you were working on a PowerPoint deck on your laptop, when you later return to your desktop, a link to that deck appears in Action Center. Or perhaps you’re browsing recipes in Microsoft Edge on your PC downstairs, and grab your laptop to go bake up a storm in the kitchen — Cortana will be there for you and have a link to that recipe ready to go.”
SEE: Get Your Free Windows 10 Upgrade Before Windows 10 Creators Update Drops
A ton of other improvements have been brought in as well, including improved scrollbar functionality for Universal Windows Apps running on PC and mobile, an inline progress bar for notifications such as downloads, running download links without having to save them, a “save as” option for such links and much more. For the full list you can visit Microsoft’s blog post.
One of the major changes that will be coming to Windows 10 Creators Update is enhanced user privacy. On January 10, Microsoft launched a web-based privacy dashboard for users to control their activity and Cortana Notebook data across multiple devices. They’ve also cleaned up the entire privacy setup experience, making it simpler to define user privacy parameters. For business and enterprise users, Microsoft is bringing in new ways to control telemetry and privacy.
Diagnostics data collection is also undergoing an overhaul with Windows 10 Creators Update, letting you choose between “Basic” and “Full” depending on how much data you want to share with Microsoft about your system.
Against a backdrop of concerns over Windows 10 and privacy issues, Microsoft is making a concerted effort to bring more control and transparency at the operating system level.
There’s still a lot of work to be done before Microsoft will be ready to finally release the Windows 10 Creators Update to users currently on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update version (1607). The new version is expected to be named 1704, which means it should be ready for a full roll out by April, 2017, which is what the number represents.
We know that several key devices from the Surface family, such as Surface Phone and Surface Pro 5, are expected to come with Windows 10 Creators Update. That means Microsoft has to work double-time to make sure it doesn’t release a buggy version 1704 of Windows.
We should seen more builds coming in at a fast and furious pace, if 15002 and 15007 are anything to go by. That also implies that Windows 10 Creators Update could well come before April, as long as Microsoft is able to iron out all the major wrinkles over the next few builds.
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