Windows 12: new features and artificial intelligence

There are many new tools in the technology industry today. Microsoft is preparing to release an operating system that will put it at the forefront.

It's been more than two years since Windows 11, the last major iteration of Microsoft's operating system, saw the light of day. Among the innovations were a brand-new start menu, the integration of numerous widgets, a redesign of various icons and an optimized, more pleasing navigation, as well as various improvements to the operating system itself.

Thus, 2024 should mark a new milestone for the American giant with the arrival of Windows 12. It will certainly have some minor changes and new features, but Microsoft's main goal is to use artificial intelligence and the numerous advances in this field to give its flagship platform a new lease of life.

When will Windows 12 be released

So far, there are no official reports about the exact release date. The Commercial Times, a well-known Taiwanese newspaper specializing in business, believes that Windows 12 will be released as early as the summer of 2024. These statements coincide with the opinion of David Zinser, executive vice president of Intel, who said that 2024 will be "a particularly interesting year for the OS". Meanwhile, according to Windows Central, the new OS will probably be released in the fall.

Windows doesn't have a clear release schedule. Windows Vista was released six years after Windows XP, while only two years separate the releases of Windows Vista and Windows 7. So by releasing Windows 12 in 2024, Microsoft will be following a fairly similar pace to the past. The company will now aim to release a new operating system every 3 years.

Recently, there were even references to a "Windows 11 24H2" version in the operating system files. We are now at version 23H2, and version 22H2 will be discontinued by Microsoft very soon. It's quite possible that 24H2 is a particularly large update, closer to what Windows 12 might look like.

What new features may come to the program

With the recent emergence of tools based on generative artificial intelligence, it would be strange if Windows 12 didn't rely on such technologies to develop its formula. In March 2023, Yusuf Medhi, Microsoft's head of consumer marketing, said that Microsoft is "thinking about more aspects where AI should play an important role". Panos Panay, head of Windows at Microsoft, argued that AI will redefine how we use Windows.

The Redmond-based company has been actively working to democratize its Copilot artificial intelligence for some time, intending to incorporate it into a large number of its products while also hiring a large number of people with expertise in generative AI.

One particularly welcome new feature is Super Resolution. It should significantly improve the rendering and quality of video content and video games. We can also talk about animated wallpapers with artificial intelligence and real-time translation (visual or audio). These are also based on artificial intelligence.

Finally, there is also talk of trying to reduce power consumption, and the autonomy of a laptop running Windows 12 can increase by 50% compared to PCs running an earlier version of Microsoft's OS. There are rumors of an artificial intelligence creativity area that will be integrated directly into the Start menu and File Explorer.

Other expected features include:

•  A new lock screen
•  A new notification center
•  New Microsoft Store
•  The ability to install Android apps from their APK file
•  The return of MSN Messenger, which will merge Skype and Teams.
•  The interface is optimized for both touchscreen and keyboard-and-mouse combinations

What are the hardware requirements for Windows 12

According to DeskModder, the upcoming operating system will require at least 8GB of RAM, compared to 4GB for the current OS. The rest of the required specs will be identical to those of Windows 11. Here's the minimum configuration expected for Windows 12:

•  8GB OF RAM
•  64GB of storage
•  64-bit dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz
•  UEFI, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and DirectX 12 compatibility
•  9-inch display with at least 720p resolution
•  Internet connection and Microsoft account (for initial setup)

So this release could be the end of the line for older computers that still run on 4GB of RAM.

How the Windows 12 interface will look

On October 14, 2021, during the Ignite 2022 conference, Microsoft showed off the new features of Microsoft 365 and Edge. And to illustrate the new Teams features, the giant used an image showing a never-before-seen version of Windows. Windows Central gives a clearer picture of the new features revealed:

•  A floating taskbar with rounded corners
•  A floating search bar at the top
•  MacOS-style context icons at the top

Right now, much of what we know about Windows 12 is speculation, but as we get further out, we'll learn more concrete information. Stay tuned and we'll keep you updated.