Windows 10 has received its first major update called Threshold 2. (Photo : Reuters)
Microsoft has announced that the Anniversary Update, first known as Redstone, for Windows 10 will touchdown at around summertime of 2016. While the updated operating system could be showcased using existing Windows device, it is possible that the plan could prompt for an earlier release date for both the rumored Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2.
The rollout of the upcoming devices could happen as early as June 2016 if indeed Microsoft will start providing the next big Windows 10 update at the start of summer season.
And like in previous OS updates from the Redmond-based tech giant, the next Windows 10 build will be made available free of charge. According to PC World, jumping to the next OS version is mandatory for Windows 10 Home users.
Among the highlighted feature upgrades are the significantly enhanced Windows Hello and Cortana. The former will be deeply integrated with apps and supported websites that will allow for more robust security protocol with the use of biometrics. In Windows 10 case, users can take advantage of facial recognition and fingerprint scanner for an extra layer of protection and added convenience in the process.
Cortana, on the other hand, can be accessed from the Windows 10 lock screen following installation of the Anniversary Update. The Microsoft personal digital assistant will soon behave like Siri on Apple's iPhone - able to serve users with the prompt 'Hey Cortana' or hands-free.
Stylus use stands to gain more prominence on the Windows platform as Wired reported that the pen will be mightier after the jump to Redstone. "The Windows 10 Anniversary update has a lot of pen involved. You can use an on-screen ruler to draw perfectly straight lines, draw a line between two dots in Maps to calculate the distance, highlight and delete text in Word and much more," the report said.
Another complimentary Stylus function is the Sticky Notes app that will get smarter for the next Windows 10 build. User handwritings can be easily recognized by the application with Cortana taking note of the details for later use.
The same feature, as expected, is optimized for the Surface Pen, further firing up the speculations that Microsoft could advance the arrival of the next-generation Windows 10 devices to better showcase the improved features stuffed with the next OS build.
With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update set for summer of 2016, it is highly likely that release dates of the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2 will happen in the same period or as early as June. While it is a moonshot, the rumored Surface Phone could be part of the unpacking.
