A few years ago, it felt like the Microsoft Windows org was on autopilot. (No, not THAT Autopilot.) Microsoft’s leadership seems content to let Windows run as long as people and partners continue to pay for it in some way.
Result: The new features were amazing. Ads started appearing on the OS all the time. Attempts to turn Windows into an “Agentic OS” were widely hated. It has not been a good time to be a Windows user.
But in the past few weeks, Windows seems to have found a new lease of life. Some think that the new burst of power and ideas for Windows is directly caused by the fact that Apple introduced its low-cost MacBook Neo. Some think the falling stock price and/or panic over the seemingly deteriorating nature of its deal with OpenAI is to blame.
I have my own ideas as to why Windows is suddenly attracting the attention of Microsoft’s leadership. But first, here is what that love looks like.
What was going on
In March, Vice President of Windows+ Devices Pavan Davuluri went public with a list of commitments to improve the quality of Windows. On this list was everything from customizing the taskbar to reducing disruptions from Windows updates by allowing users to postpone them indefinitely. Davuluri also said that Microsoft will improve Windows 11 system performance, memory efficiency and application responsiveness during the year.
This week, Microsoft made good on some additional promises (at least to some extent). Removed the Copilot button for free from the Notepad trial version, although it didn’t do that actually remove the AI code behind it, as others had hoped.
Microsoft has also announced some great changes to the way it will run its Windows Insider testing program. Simplifying channels also eliminates the hated practice of rolling out new features to be tested on a seemingly random set of criteria. It’s even planning Windows Insider meetups in several cities in the coming weeks to get more face-to-face feedback.
The big mystery: why now?
But why is Microsoft doing this? And why now? (Spoiler: It has nothing to do with the stock price, since Wall Street couldn’t care less about anything but AI.)
It’s no secret that Microsoft wants more consumer, not just business, customers. An established way of trying to cultivate customers is to convert them into followers. It is difficult, but not impossible, to become an ardent fan of Entra Privileged Identity Management. It’s easy to be part of a community of fans who engage with a specific PC or phone.
Microsoft’s phone opportunity came and went with much fanfare. But it’s a wonder why Microsoft executives haven’t stopped making Surface PCs, too. At a time when Microsoft has taken the ax to many product lines in the name of freeing up more cash to burn on AI, why has it kept its low-end Surface business around? (Microsoft stopped publicly disclosing its Surface numbers back in fiscal 2022, meaning sales aren’t anything to shout about.)
I can’t help but wonder if there are any new Surface-branded devices in the pipeline anytime soon. Microsoft executives have indicated that in the past there may be new types of devices from the company, especially wearables. In keeping with Microsoft’s “AI First” mantra, tools designed to get customers to pay for agent usage won’t be easy.
A small consumer-oriented Cloud PC client/tablet running Windows 365, providing the ability to run agents securely? A new Surface fitness band that lets users talk to the embedded Copilot about health and other topics?
It might not be as crazy as it sounds, as Microsoft recently hired former VP of Google’s Pixel Business, Nanda Ramachandran, as chief marketing officer for Windows + Devices.
Whether these new devices arrive soon or not, I’m not mad to see Microsoft give Windows some good attention again.
