Microsoft turns Windows Copilot into a regular app

Image: Microsoft

Currently stuck in a sidebar, Copilot will soon be a regular Windows app you can resize and move around freely. This means easier access and multitasking. Instead of a disappearing sidebar, a click on the new Copilot icon in the taskbar launches a movable window.

Microsoft explains it this way: "With this change, users of Copilot will get the benefits of a traditional app experience such as resizing, snapping, and moving the window."

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Windows 11 gets a supercharged Live Captions with Copilot+ PCs

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Live Captions is getting a major upgrade with Copilot+ PCs, a new lineup of Windows laptops powered by Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips. This improved feature offers real-time translation of spoken words into English subtitles on the screen, across an impressive 44 languages. No matter if you're on a video call, watching a movie, or listening to a lecture, Live Captions can transcribe the audio for better understanding.

Previously, Live Captions was an accessibility feature in Windows 11, but it was limited to 10 languages and worked primarily with pre-recorded/existing videos. Copilot+ PCs unlock the full potential of Live Captions, making it a powerful real-time translation tool.

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Microsoft embraces Arm with improved app translation

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Microsoft is making a strong push into Arm-powered Windows PCs with the launch of Surface devices featuring the Snapdragon X Elite processor. This move naturally invites comparisons to Apple's successful transition from Intel to Arm-based designs in its Macs.

A key factor in Apple's success was Rosetta 2, a translation layer that allows users to run most Intel Mac apps on Apple Silicon machines with minimal effort. Windows 11 offers similar functionality, and with the upcoming 24H2 update, it gets a new name: Prism.

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Microsoft tests app ads in Windows 11 Start menu

The red box highlights the ad (Image: Microsoft)

Microsoft is testing a controversial feature: ads within the Windows 11 Start menu. These ads, disguised as "app suggestions," will appear in the "Recommended" section alongside recently used files.

Currently, only US-based Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel see these ads, and they're disabled on organization-managed devices. However, the ads are enabled by default, which might not sit well with users.

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