The Microsoft Build 2024 developer conference kicks off this week, and if past years are any indication, it’s likely to bring us a smorgasbord of announcements about Windows 11, Microsoft Copilot, and more.
This is a big deal for Windows fans because not only do we expect to hear about a ton of new features and products from Microsoft, but we also expect many laptop and PC manufacturers to reveal new Windows devices coming out this year.
It’s a safe bet that many of those laptops will have “AI” splashed all over their marketing materials, as it’s the marketing buzzword for laptops and PCs in 2024. The rise of AI laptops shows no signs of slowdown, and it will likely be much more exciting if the planned debut at Build 2024 of a host of AI laptops equipped with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X chips turns out to be true.
Leaked Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon And as Microsoft continues to push “AI” into every corner of its business, it’s a safe bet that any new laptop we find at Build 2024 will show off the latest AI features coming to Windows.
Heck, we may even get a look at Windows 12 (or whatever the next version is) at Build, although I’ve heard conflicting reports about whether Microsoft actually plans to ship a new version of its flagship OS before 2025.
We’ll find out next week at Microsoft Build 2024, where I’ll be reporting live and chatting with Microsoft representatives as our intrepid team works to bring you the latest news as it’s released. This is what we hope to see at the fair.
New Windows 11 and Copilot features
First of all, we expect to hear a lot about the new features and updates coming to Microsoft services over the next year.
I expect Windows and Copilot to be the stars of the show as Microsoft introduces more and more AI into its products. We’ll almost certainly see a reel or two packed with new ways to tell Copilot what to do, as well as new capabilities for the service and new ways it will integrate with Microsoft products like Excel, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, and more.
When this happens, keep an eye out for release dates and disclaimers about which features will be locked behind Copilot Pro’s $20/month paywall. Microsoft has a habit of announcing new Copilot features that take months to roll out to users, and now that the company has a clear monetization scheme for the service, I have no doubt that many of the most interesting and useful features will be offered in limited access or not available at all for people without a Copilot subscription Pro.
New AI-enabled laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon
I also expect a bunch of new Snapdragon laptops to be announced next week scheduled for Build 2024.
We know, for example, that Dell is hosting its Dell Technologies World event in Las Vegas the same week as Build, which means we’ll almost certainly hear about some new Dell laptops powered by the Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite.
We’ve also seen leaks about upcoming products that reinforce this, such as a new Dell XPS 13 Plus model leaked to debut with Snapdragon X Elite on board. In fact, Dell is rumored to be announcing some new versions of its laptops with Qualcomm’s new chips, which is a big deal because Snapdragon . life.
Even the best Windows laptops have struggled to keep up with Apple laptops in this key performance area since MacBooks started shipping with Apple silicon inside them. But Qualcomm has been beating its chest about how powerful and efficient its new Snapdragon laptop chips are, claims I’m eager to see backed up by results in our laptop testing lab.
And I don’t think Dell will be the only major laptop maker launching some new Snapdragon laptops during the build either: we’ve seen credible reports of a Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge with Snapdragon X Elite coming soon, as well as a Microsoft Surface. Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 with integrated Snapdragon
Personally, I really hope the latest report is true, because the debut of the Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business earlier this year was a real disappointment. Neither device features any significant improvements or upgrades over their predecessors, which is especially painful considering that the Surface line (with the possible exception of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2) has been boring, moribund, and in dire need of a serious redesign. during years. .
The next version of Windows?
The prediction I’m less sure about is that we’ll get a preview of the next version of Windows at Build 2024.
While Microsoft hasn’t said much of anything concrete about what’s coming next for Windows, Qualcomm’s CEO did in an earnings conference call earlier this year. Specifically, the company’s director, Cristiano Amon, said that laptops with the new Snapdragon X Elite chips will debut in “mid-2024” and that their launch will coincide with the “next version of Windows.”
So, since we expect to see the first Snapdragon
But the question is: will it really be a completely new version of Windows with a new name, like Windows 12? Or will it be a big feature update for Windows 11 that Microsoft bills as “the next version of Windows”?
I think it could go either way, but deep in my heart I have a hard time believing that we will see a completely new version of Windows before 2025. Windows 11 was released in October 2021, so Microsoft must turn around and release one A new version in 3 years seems overkill.
But of course, the AI PC craze has seemed like nothing more than a huge effort by Intel, Microsoft and others to try to boost PC sales after the post-pandemic crisis. A new version of Windows, with a big focus on on-device AI features and capabilities, could be a way for Microsoft to push people to buy new AI-enabled PCs.
panorama
If you’re interested in Windows PCs, Build 2024 is worth paying attention to because we’re likely to hear about a ton of new features and products coming over the next year.
Of course, you’d better prepare to listen to “AI” at least a few hundred times throughout the week. All signs point to that being Microsoft’s focus for at least the next year, so expect a big dose of AI to be included in any announcements we get about new Windows features for Windows and the new Snapdragon .
I’ll be there in person and the rest of our team will be covering Build 2024 remotely all week, so check back early Monday for our live coverage, which will include interviews and hands-on reports on the new features coming to users. Microsoft products in the coming year. Stay tuned!
- Microsoft now says your PC needs “repair” if you’re not using Bing with Edge
- I reviewed Windows 11 and these are 3 things Windows 12 should improve
- Windows will lose these 7 features in 2024 – here’s what will change for you
