Microsoft is in the process of finalizing the Windows Sun
Valley, otherwise known as “next of generation of Windows”,
ahead of its
announcement on June 24. As part of that, there were a
number of small design tweaks like rounded corners in the
preview builds, but it looks like the company is on a mission
to “modernize the existing parts of Windows UX”.
Windows 10 was announced way back in 2015 and it has gotten
better over the past few years, but much of the interface has
remained unchanged from 2015 revamp. In fact, Windows 10 still
uses UI features/elements from Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
XP, and even Windows 95.
The redesigned interface for Windows is coming later this year
and the project is internally codenamed “Sun Valley”, and it
will be “revolutionary”, according to job listings we spotted
last month. According to another job listing that we found
today, Microsoft now wants to build a new experience that will
involve modernization of the existing user interface.
The job listing, which was posted back in April, states
that Microsoft is building “new parts and modernizing existing
parts of the Windows UX”. To improve the experience, the
company is internally conducting user research to understand
users’ needs and test various solutions before finalizing the
final look.
Microsoft was hiring a Senior Program Manager to define, refine
and deliver a world-class experience. The job listing requires
the program manager to “collaborate and partner with teams
across Microsoft to build support for proposed solution”.
The job advert, which is no longer accepting new applications,
was posted by the team responsible for “building the future of
human-computer interaction within Windows”. The team is also
responsible for improving interaction experiences in Windows
for UI features like Start & Taskbar, touch, voice, snap and
windowing.
Is Microsoft really modernizing Windows 10?
Well, the answer is, it depends. On the surface, Windows 11 or
Sun Valley update will appear “modern” and a breath of fresh
air. It would be “delightful and iconic”, this is according to
another Microsoft job listing, which is no longer available at
the time of writing.
As part of the revamp, Microsoft will be updating most of the
icons, properties tabs, context menu, and other important
features with a modern look like dark mode. For example, File
Explorer will be getting rounded corners, new icons, and a
proper dark mode that matches the design of other Windows apps.
However, Windows Latest understands that the Sun Valley update
will include some old features. You’ll come across some of
those legacy components like icons or pop-ups if you dig in
deep enough.
