The Windows 10 Anniversary Update Arrives In August

Microsoft has announced that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update will arrive on August 2nd. The update will be free for anyone who has already moved to Windows 10. Here are some of the things that are included in the Anniversary Update: 

To see everything that’s included in the Anniversary Update click here. 

Cortana Helps You Be More Productive with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

As part of our ambition to make computing more personal, we introduced Cortana***, your personal digital assistant. Windows has been a pioneer in this space, first introducing Cortana in Windows Phone, then to the PC with Windows 10, and soon available on Xbox One. Today, we have more than 1,000 Cortana apps in the Windows Store. But we can do more to make it easier for you to interact with Cortana and receive helpful information throughout your day.

• Cortana is now available above your lock screen so you can do things like ask questions, play music from your PC or set a reminder without unlocking your device.
• Cortana can save and recall key information, like your frequent flier number or where you parked at the airport. You can also add photos to make your reminders visual, like a photo of a bottle of wine you enjoyed at a restaurant.
• Cortana can give you notifications across all the devices you have with Cortana – like sharing directions across devices or from text or messaging services on your phone.

Microsoft Edge Helps You Do More with Increased Power Efficiency, Extensions and Accessibility

Browsing the web today is very different than when the first browsers were invented. We live in a world with hundreds of millions of security threats and the browser has become a heavily used application for commerce, watching videos, and sharing with others. Microsoft Edge is a modern browser designed to protect against security threats, maximize your battery life, and provide easier access.

• Building on strong power efficiency already available in Microsoft Edge, the Anniversary Update includes even more power-saving improvements, using fewer CPU cycles, consuming less memory, and minimizing the impact of background activity and peripheral content. Microsoft Edge lasts three hours longer than Google Chrome—long enough to finish the final movie in your favorite trilogy.
• Microsoft Edge Extensions, such as Pinterest’s “Pin It Button,” Amazon Assistant, AdBlock, AdBlock Plus and LastPass, will be available in the Windows Store with the Anniversary Update to add features to your browser and personalize your experience.
• A new accessibility architecture for Microsoft Edge supports modern web standards, including HTML5, CSS3, and ARIA. With the Anniversary Update, page structure and content are now exposed more clearly with assistive technology. Visual presentation of web pages in high contrast mode is greatly improved to provide additional visual context, while preserving text contrast. Also, form entry when using keyboard navigation and screen readers improve in this update making the browsing experience for people of all abilities better

Gamers Stay Connected and Enjoy More Games

Today gaming is one of the fastest growing areas of entertainment, with over 19 billion hours of gameplay on Windows 10 alone. Today’s gamers see their gaming experience silo’d by their devices, where mobile gaming is different than PC and different than console. Equally, content doesn’t extend across experiences. This changes with great new features for Xbox One and the Xbox app on Windows 10. Stay connected with friends on Xbox Live and enjoy even more games across your favorite devices with the Anniversary Update.

• With the Xbox Play Anywhere program, you can buy a game once and play on your Windows 10 PC and Xbox One with shared progress, shared game saves and shared achievements. Every new title published from Microsoft Studios will support Xbox Play Anywhere and will be easily accessible in the Windows Store.
• Xbox Play Anywhere games will be offered within the new unified Windows Store on both Windows 10 and Xbox One. You’ll be able to find the content you want faster and purchase game and app bundles, pre-orders, pre-downloads and subscriptions such as Xbox Live Gold.
• On Xbox One, gamers will be able to use Cortana commands to find great new games, see what your friends are up to, start a party, accomplish common tasks and turn on your Xbox One by saying “Hey Cortana, Xbox On”.
• Top fan requested features for Xbox One, such as Language Region Independence (allowing gamers to choose any supported language, regardless of their location) and support for background music, will come with the Anniversary Update.
• Gamers can enjoy the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on the new Xbox One S. Available starting at $299 USD this summer, with a limited 2TB Xbox One S launch edition available in August for $399 USD, it’s the only console with support for HDR gaming and 4K Ultra HD video and Blu-ray.