Welcome to a blog article that should have never been written. Remember when Microsoft said, “Windows 10 is our last operating system?” Well….Introducing Windows 11!
Since this is a new operating system (OS), you would expect a multitude of changes. There are some, but it runs pretty much like Windows 10 … if it were a Mac. Here are 4 feature updates you can expect with Windows 11 for your business.
1. User Interface
As mentioned, the new user interface (UI) is very Mac-like with the design featuring a centered Start Menu and Taskbar – a change from the usual spot at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. But don’t throw your computer away just yet; you can change it back to the Classic Start Menu by going to: Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, then selecting the Taskbar behaviors option. The Taskbar alignment drop-down allows you to reposition the Start button and the rest of the icons on the Taskbar to the bottom left.
2. Microsoft Teams Integration
The functionality of Teams, as it is integrated into the Operating System, is unique to Windows 11. When you first install Windows 11, you will see a new Chat icon on the taskbar. Simply click the icon (or use the Windows + C keyboard shortcut) to launch the Chat app and sign-in with a personal Microsoft account. People who are new to Teams will need to set up their profile first and then can automatically sync Skype and Outlook contacts if they choose.
By default, the Chat app opens in a small window, but you can click on the “Open Microsoft Teams” button at the bottom to open it in a big window and resize it the way you want. Your most recent individual and group messages will appear at the top of the window. You will be able to immediately start a new Chat or call by clicking the Meet or Chat buttons at the top and choosing who you want to contact.
Compared to the regular Microsoft Teams app, this new Chat experience certainly looks a lot less cluttered. While it may be difficult to get your contacts to use this new Chat app on Windows 11, there’s also a new SMS Chat feature that lets you send a text message directly to a phone number, though it is only supported in select larger markets.
3. Microsoft Teams 2.0 Experience
As you probably know, the regular Microsoft Teams app is based on Electron (a framework for creating native applications with web technologies, like JavaScript, HTML, etc), and it’s pretty heavy. Since launch, many users have been complaining about high memory usage and performance issues, but the new Chat app on Windows 11 is a different story.
Under the hood, this new Windows 11 Chat app has ditched the Electron framework in favor of Edge Webview 2 which is much faster. It also offers a more modern design language which really helps to make the app feel native on Windows 11. You can expect support for light and dark themes, live emoji reactions, Together Mode (which lets you meet with others in a shared virtual conference room), native OS notifications, quoted replies, and much more.
Microsoft previously said that the faster “Teams 2.0” architecture used by this new Windows 11 Chat app will eventually make its way to the regular Microsoft Teams app for Enterprise users. “The journey is starting with Windows 11 + consumer accounts, and will continue from there,” explained Rich Tandon, CVP of Engineering for Microsoft Teams. In a series of tweets, the Microsoft employee explained that this new Teams architecture will also allow Microsoft to iterate faster and add support for new “work life scenarios.”
4. TPM
One of the biggest changes with Windows 11 is the TPM 2.0 requirement. What is TPM 2.0?
TPM stands for Trusted Platform Module, and its job is to protect data used to authenticate the PC you’re using. TPMs can actually be found in lots of different types of devices, but we’ll focus on PCs here. The TPM can also be used to maintain platform integrity, facilitate disk encryption, store passwords and certificates, and the list goes on.
TPM chips are useful, from a total system security perspective, and that’s something Microsoft feels it needs to enforce with Windows 11.
Why is TPM 2.0 a requirement for Windows 11? Windows is the most popular OS in the world, and that has made it a relatively easy target for hackers. By making TPM 2.0 a requirement, Microsoft is hoping to make the life of hackers just a little bit harder. (Resource: pcgamer.com)
Spera Partners deploys Dell computers, which now come equipped with Windows 11 and have been shipping with TPM modules since 2015. Don’t worry if your TPM is v1.2; Dell allows you to upgrade to v2.0 as your processor allows.
Conclusion
Windows 11 has generally been available since October 2021. Do you need to run out and upgrade to Windows 11 today? It all boils down to your system and application support and the age of your hardware.
Glenn Stants, Director of Operations
Spera Partners
Photo Credit: Microsoft
Learn about our Hardware Services at https://sperapartners.com/hardware-sales/
