Microsoft is yet to formally announce all of its Windows 10
redesign plans and it’s believed that the company would
introduce the first big update of the year in the fall of 2021.
Work on the Sun Valley update has already started at Microsoft,
but the company has remained completely tight-lipped on this
new update.
Windows 10 version 21H2 ‘Sun Valley’ update is full of
Microsoft’s slick Fluent Design, WinUI and rounded corners.
This update will also refresh the Start Menu and taskbar with
“a more streamlined design” by applying “rounded corners”.
Rounded corner is also coming to other parts of the operating
system. Of course, third-party applications will still have
sharp corners, but this could change with WinUI 3 release.
As we reported
earlier this month,
Microsoft is considering a new floating Start Menu for Windows
10. The revamped Start Menu will appear “visually
separated” from the taskbar and live tiles or static tiles will
also have rounded corners.
Apparently, Windows 10 jump list (taskbar right-click menu) is
getting a ‘floating’ design too. As you can see in the above
mockup created by us, Windows 10’s jump list will now float
above the taskbar, leaving a visible gap with rounded corners.
In addition to the Start menu and taskbar, the borders of popup
boxes and context menus within the settings app will be rounded
for a more modern look. The other textboxes like – password,
AutoSuggest and alerts –
will get also rounded corners to improve overall UI
consistency.
So far, it appears that the main design focus of the Windows 10
Sun Valley update will be ’rounded corners’, or at least that
appears to be the goal at this point.
However, Microsoft is also believed to be working on other
features, such as a new
battery monitor,
Aero Shake toggle,
dedicated web camera settings, and more.
According to reports, Windows 10’s big interface revamp is
expected to be realized in June and start rolling out to
consumers in October or November. Before version 21H2,
Microsoft is planning to release version 21H1 update, which is
going to be a minor affair with security improvements.
Citation: Special thanks to Zac Bowden, Albacore and Mary Jo Foley.
