The next big update to Windows 11 will be released closer to the end of the year, but Microsoft is already starting to test it. New Windows Insider builds released to the Canary and Dev channels have changed their version numbers to “24H2”.
Microsoft tested some new features of Windows 11 24H2 publicly. The biggest notable innovation is the addition of the sudo command for Windows. The new build also includes improved support for hearing aids, support for creating 7-zip and TAR archives in Explorer, power saving mode, and new changes to the SMB protocol. This build also removes WordPad and Tips.
There are some indications that the Windows 11 24H2 update will be very significant in scope. It looks like the company is revising things like the process of installing Windows from scratch. The current setup screens haven’t changed much since Windows Vista in 2006. Only minor and mostly cosmetic changes have been made since then (and even in the updated version the window borders are still Vista/7 style).
Despite preparations for the release of the Windows 11 24H2 update, rumors are circulating on the Internet that Microsoft intends to release the next version of Windows 12 already this year. The existence of Windows 12, largely based on rumors and anecdotal claims by PC manufacturers and analysts, has never been officially confirmed or denied by Microsoft.
24H2 update preparation assumes Windows 11 will be around for at least another year, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out a Windows 12 release this year. Windows 10 received the 21H2 update the year Windows 11 was released, and the 22H2 update a year later (although neither contained significant new features). Microsoft may rename a subsequent feature update to a new OS version. This is exactly what happened with Windows 11, which was originally conceived as a significant redesign of Windows 10.
Artificial intelligence is supposed to be the focus of the hypothetical Windows 12, just like the last few major Windows 11 updates.
What features will appear in Windows 11 in 2024
Source: arstechnica
