Windows 2010-present

This section covers Windows 8.x series and Windows 10. Both of which were released after 2010. Windows 8.x was meant for touch screen devices whereas Windows 10 was a hybrid of windows 7 and 8 in the sense of features. All images are from The guardian.

Windows 8.x

The Windows 8.x series was a complete overhaul of the windows operating system. Windows 8.x is touch interface orientated and is designed for use with a touch screen.

Windows 8.0 (October 26, 2012)

“Released in October 2012, Windows 8 was Microsoft’s most radical overhaul of the Windows interface, ditching the Start button and Start menu in favor of a more touch-friendly Start screen. The new tiled interface saw programme icons and live tiles, which displayed at-a-glance information normally associated with “widgets”, replace the lists of programmes and icons. A desktop was still included, which resembled Windows 7. Windows 8 was faster than previous versions of Windows and included support for the new, much faster USB 3.0 devices. The Windows Store, which offers universal Windows apps that run in a full-screen mode only, was introduced. Programs could still be installed from third-parties like other iterations of Windows, but they could only access the traditional desktop interface of Windows. The radical overhaul was not welcomed by many. Microsoft attempted to tread a fine line between touchscreen support and desktop users, but ultimately desktop users wanting to control Windows with a traditional mouse and keyboard and not a touchscreen felt Windows 8 was a step back. There were also too few touchscreens in use, or on offer, to make its touch-oriented interface useful or even necessary – despite the parallel rise of tablets such as the iPad, and smartphones, which had begun outselling PCs by the end of 2010. Windows RT, which runs on ARM-based processors traditionally found in smartphones and non-PC tablets, was introduced at the same time as Windows 8 with the Microsoft Surface tablet. It looked and felt like Windows 8, but could not run traditional Windows applications, instead solely relying on the Windows Store for third-party apps.” (Gibbs, 2014)

Windows 8.1

“A free point release to Windows 8 introduced in October 2013, Windows 8.1 marked a shift towards yearly software updates from Microsoft and included the first step in Microsoft’s U-turn around its new visual interface. Windows 8.1 re-introduced the Start button, which brought up the Start screen from the desktop view of Windows 8.1. Users could also choose to boot directly into the desktop of Windows 8.1, which was more suitable for those using a desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard than the touch-focused Start screen.” (Gibbs, 2014)

Windows 10

Finally, we have arrived at the newest and final named version of windows, Windows 10.

Windows 10 updates

So, instead of making individual versions with new features, Microsoft opted to make updates for a single version of windows. We start with version 1507, then we have version 1511, next is version 1607, after that we have version 1703, then version 1709, after that we have version 1803, then version 1809, finally, we have the most recent update, version 1903.

Version 1507 (July 29, 2015)

“The original version of Windows 10 (codenamed “Threshold 1” and retroactively named version 1507) was released in July 2015. It carries the build number 10.0.10240; while Microsoft has stated that there was no designated release to manufacturing (RTM) build of Windows 10, build 10240 was described as an RTM build by various media outlets. It was retroactively named “version 1507” by Microsoft per its naming conventions for future stable releases of the operating system.” (Wikipedia contributers, 2019) It includes the following for features:

An Updated Start menu
The Introduction of Cortana (same name as a certain Halo character). This is windows equivalent of Siri
A “Continuum” mode that allows fluidity between desktop and tablet modes
The introduction of the Action center
Microsoft edge was introduced, which replaces the internet explorer browser
Improved multitasking abilities
Many updated Built in apps

“The final release was made available to Windows Insiders on July 15, 2015, followed by a public release on July 29, 2015. Support of version 1507 ended on May 9, 2017 for devices in the Current Branch and Current Branch for Business; however, devices configured to receive updates from the Current Branch and Current Branch for Business continued to receive updates until June 27, 2018.” (Wikipedia contributers, 2019)

Version 1511 (November 12, 2015)

The next update in the windows 10 saga. Version 1511 (aka Threshold 2) had its first preview on August 18^th, 2015. Threshold 2 was the first major update and the second in the series. The new features include:

Pre-installed Skype Video, Messaging and Phone apps,
Tab previews and syncing in Microsoft Edge (the new version of internet explorer)
Visual and functional tweaks (minor and major)

When they released it, they went all out, “Unlike the initial release of Windows, this branch was also made available to existing Windows Phone 8.1 devices and the Xbox One and as a preview release to Windows Server 2016, and was pre-installed on new Windows 10 Mobile devices.” (Wikipedia contributers, 2019) Support stopped on October 10^th, 2017 for this version.

Version 1607 (August 2, 2016)

The second update version is 1607 (aka Redstone 1) is the first under the Redstone codename which is a reference to the Videogame Minecraft. In the game Redstone is used for wiring, machine, mods, etc. This version was made to help make the OS more stable so no new features were added in this OS. This OS version is no longer supported. Support ended for Home, pro, and pro workstation, on April 10^th, 2018 and for enterprise and education on April 9^th, 2019. The next version in the same series, Redstone 2, added more features.

Version 1703 (September 26, 2017)

Version 1703, (aka Redstone 2) is the third major update and the second update with the Redstone codename. To see all the features, visit this link Redstone 2 Features. This version is still supported as of me writing this article. Support for this version ended for Home, pro, and pro workstation, on October 9^th, 2018 and will end for Enterprise, and education on October 8^th, 2019.

Version 1709

Ah, version 1709 (aka Redstone 3) is the fourth update and the third in the Redstone series. This version is still supported and added the following:

Updated the share icon in File Explorer in the Share tab to match new share iconography
Turning the night light schedule off in Settings now turns night light off immediately
Windows Subsystem for Linux Gains Serial Device support
Added ability to revert in virtual machines
New features in Microsoft Edge’s PDF Reader
Added Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge in Enterprise Edition
New Ninjacat Icon for Windows Insider Program in Settings app
Cortana’s settings moved into Settings
Updated Magnifier Settings page
Replaced Windows Update dialog with toast notification
Added My People
New experience for Gmail accounts in Mail and Calendar app
Column name changed for Power Throttling in Task Manager
Added support for UWP apps in Volume Mixer
New features in My People and Settings app
Updates to Narrator
Added cross-device incoming call notifications with Cortana
Fluent Design in Start and Action Center
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Cortana, hardware keyboard, Shell, Settings app, developer tools, Ease of Access, Japanese font, Japanese and Chinese Input Method Editor
New XAML-based handwriting panel and touch keyboard
New features and improvements in Microsoft Edge
New currency converter in Calculator app
Emoji 5.0 support and updates to emoji panel
Improvements to touch keyboard, handwriting panel, Windows Sonic, gaming, Settings app, Shell, Ease of Access, IT Pros and Japanese Input Method Editor
Improvements to Windows Defender Application Guard
New exploit protection and controlled folder access in Windows Defender Security Center
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Windows Shell, Input, PC Gaming, Task Manager and Hyper-V
Improvements to Windows Shell, PC Gaming, Task Manager, Mixed Reality and Delivery Optimization
New phone linking features
Improvements to Cortana, boot up experience, input, Microsoft Edge and PC Gaming
New Bahnschrift font
Improvements to Windows Shell, Microsoft Edge and input
New resume feature in Cortana

Support for this version ended for Home, pro, and pro workstation, on April 9^th 2019 and will end for Enterprise, and education on April 14^th, 2020.

Version 1803

Windows 1803, (Aka Redstone 4) was released to the general public on May 8^th, 2018. This version is still supported by Microsoft. The new features are:

Cortana show me app support
Improvements to Game Bar, graphics, eye control, Windows security, Bluetooth, Microsoft Edge, input, apps permissions settings, Windows Subsystem for Linux and ease of access
Introduces two-finger swipe gesture to dismiss all Action Center notifications
Improvements to boot experience, narrator, Windows Shell, Microsoft Edge, gaming and input
Fluent Design elements in Start
Removal of IPv6 transition technologies (6in4, 6to4, Teredo, ISATAP, etc.)
Improvements to Microsoft Edge and input
New Cortana Collections feature
Improved experience between Cortana and Action Center
New startup settings in Settings app
New Ease of Access settings
Updated options for startup tasks
Updated Microsoft Yahei Font
New Near Share feature
Text suggestions for hardware keyboard
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Settings app, touch keyboard, handwriting panel and Japanese Input Method Editor
Improvements to Settings app, touch keyboard and handwriting panel
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Windows Shell and input
New Timeline feature
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Cortana, Windows Shell, My People, Settings app, Windows Defender, Windows Subsystem for Linux, camera privacy settings and input
New developer tools
New features for IT Pros in delivery optimization
New snipping tool features
Windows Home Group support removed
Redesigned Windows localization
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Windows Shell, Settings app, input, XAML and Cortana
Handwriting recognition updates
New font settings
Improvements to diagnostic data, Timeline, Windows Shell, Settings app, Hypervisor platform, ease of access and apps permissions settings
Improvements to input and apps permissions
New features for Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
New Ultimate Performance power scheme
Improvements to out-of-box experience for applications
Improvements to Windows Update
Improvements for enterprise users
New privacy settings layout during set up
Improvements to Windows Defender Application Guard
Added support for High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF)
Improvements to Cortana

Support for this version will end for Home, pro, and pro workstation, on November 12^th 2019 and for Enterprise, and education on November 10^th, 2020.

Version 1809

Version 1809, (aka Redstone 5), was the sixth major update for windows 10 and the fifth and final update in the Redstone series. While still being developed, (released under the Microsoft insider), was found to have multiple critical bugs. Those bugs are:

Deletion of personal files upon updating
Overwriting of files without permission (from .ZIP files)

This update had introduced somethings new like:

Improvements to input and apps permissions
New features for Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
New Ultimate Performance power scheme
Improvements to out-of-box experience for applications
Preview of new Sets feature
Added High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) support
New safe remove experience for external GPUs
New privacy settings layout during set up
Improvements to Windows Defender Application Guard
New search feature in the Calendar app
Added support for voice queries in Cortana Show Me
Improvements to Sets
Bluetooth battery percentage in Settings app
Improvements to Windows Calculator
Microsoft Office support for Sets
Improvements to Sets, Microsoft Edge, Data Sense and Magnifier
Fluent Design element in Windows Defender Security Center
Added support for Windows Subsystem for Linux processes in Windows Defender Firewall
Improvements to Mobile Broadband connectivity on Windows
New snipping experience
Added acrylic element in Task View
Integrated device properties into Settings app
Updated Microsoft Pinyin IME
Improvements to Windows Security, focus assist and HEIC support
Improvements to Sets and Settings app
New clipboard experience
Added dark theme for File Explorer
Added support for extended line endings and Bing search in Notepad
New Search Preview feature
Added ability to name tile folders in Start
Improvements to Windows Security
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Narrator and Task Manager
Added support for IPv6 to KDNET
New Mobile Broadband USB driver as default option
Improvements to wireless projection, Microsoft Edge for web developers and RSAT management
New post-upgrade setup window
New privacy notification feature
Improvements to localization settings and Windows Mixed Reality
Integration of SwiftKey into touch keyboard
Added acrylic material in more system elements
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Ease of Access, Narrator, Game Bar, Game Mode and Windows Mixed Reality
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, inbox text controls, Windows Security, Task Manager, Ease of Access, Narrator, Windows Container and Windows Mixed Reality
New Diagnostic Data Viewer features
New video viewing mode
Added ability to install fonts for non-admin users and view typing insights
New post-update experience
Removed Sets feature for maintenance
Improvements to Microsoft Edge and Registry Editor
Fluent Design elements in pop-up menu
New Windows HD Color page in Settings app
New Mixed Reality Flashlight feature
Added Emoji 11 support
Added leap second support and accuracy improvements (Precision Time Protocol, software time-stamping) for network time
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Kiosk Setup, update experience and Game bar
New Your Phone app
Improvements to Narrator
Your Phone app is now live
Improvements related to HTTP/2 and CUBIC support
Aligned Insider Feature Update experience with retail
Removed Block Suspicious Behaviors feature in Windows Security
Finalized dark theme for File Explorer
Removed XAML shadows for maintenance
Your Phone app is now pinned to the desktop for quicker access
Updated Emoji Panel to support for search and tooltips for Emoji 11
Increased image size for clipboard history of up to 4MB
Removed performance visualizations in Game Bar for maintenance
Improvements to moving forward in Microsoft Edge with Narrator Selection
Added support for viewing, sending and receiving SMS messages from Android (Nougat or newer) smartphone in Your Phone app
Improvements to Storage Sense (automatically free up disk space by making older and unused local files available online-only)
Improved compatibility for Tencent games

This version is still supported as of me writing this. Support will end on May 12^th, 2020 for Home, pro, and pro workstation and for Enterprise and Education May 21^st, 2021.

Version 1903

The most recent version, 19h1. Windows 10 version 1903 is the first version to include what year it was released in inside of the codename. Windows 10 version 1903 will be supported until December 8^th, 2020 for all releases of Windows 10. This version includes the following list of added features:

New Mixed Reality Flashlight feature
Added Emoji 11 support
Added leap second support and accuracy improvements (Precision Time Protocol, software time-stamping) for network time
Improvements to Microsoft Edge, Kiosk Setup, update experience and Game bar
New Your Phone app
Improvements related to HTTP/2 and CUBIC support
Improvements to Narrator
Added ink support for Microsoft To-Do
Updated Sticky Notes to version 3.0
New delay snip feature for Snip & Sketch (previously Screen Sketch)
Finalized dark theme for File Explorer
Updated Emoji Panel to support for search and tooltips for Emoji 11
Your Phone app is now pinned to the desktop for quicker access
Increased image size for clipboard history of up to 4MB
Removed XAML shadows and performance visualizations in Game Bar for maintenance
Added acrylic element to Windows sign-in screen background
Rebranded Microsoft Apps on Android as Your Phone Companion app
New group policy for preventing the use of security questions on local accounts
Added advanced Ethernet IP settings in Settings app
New icon for disconnected internet
New Windows Ebrima font with Adlam, N’Ko, Osmanya, Tifinagh and Vai writing system support
New microphone icon in the system tray which appears when microphone is in use
Improvements to Registry Editor for expanding the autocomplete dropdown by pressing F4 to move the caret to the end of the address bar
Added ability to show the corresponding Ethernet adapter name in the sidebar
Introduced extra pages in the Emoji Panel in more languages
New DPI Awareness column in Task Manager
Added ability to uninstall pre-installed Windows 10 inbox apps
Improvements to Troubleshooting and Narrator
Improvements to Input and Accessibility
New enhanced mode for search indexing
Improvements to Input and Accessibility
Redesigned sign-in options for Windows Hello in Settings app
Performance improvements to Spectre mitigations
New options in Settings app
Focus assist option
“Fix scaling” option for high DPI desktop applications (enabled by default)
Improvements to Action Center
Added Emoji 12 support
New Application Guard for Microsoft Edge setting for managing access to the camera and microphone in Windows Security
Redesigned Japanese IME
New options in Settings app
Focus assist option
“Fix scaling” option for high DPI desktop applications (enabled by default)
Improvements to Action Center
Added Emoji 12 support
New Application Guard for Microsoft Edge setting for managing access to the camera and microphone in Windows Security
Redesigned Japanese IME
Fluent Design elements in power and user menus in Start and taskbar jump lists
New manual clock synchronization option in Settings app
New microphone icon in taskbar with new reminding mechanism
Improvements to Search and Cortana experiences
New Windows Update notifications
Added LEDBAT support in uploads to Delivery Optimization peers on the same LAN
Reverted the redesigned Japanese IME to the retail version for maintenance
New security key setup in sign-in options in Settings app
Improvements to File Explorer
New File Explorer icon
Updated the default sorting for Downloads folder
Improvements to Notepad
Added support for UTF-8 encoding without a BOM
New modified indicator
New Send Feedback option
Added support of additional shortcuts
Added support for opening or saving files with a path that is longer than 260 characters
New Terminal tab in properties page of any Console window
Improvements to Start menu, touch keyboard, Narrator, Ease of Access and Windows 10 Setup experience
New Windows Update indicator on Power button in Start menu
Simplified default Start layout
New Windows Sandbox feature
Improvements to Windows Security
Revamped protection history experience
New tamper protection feature
Added symbols and kaomoji support in emoji panel
Updated clipboard history UI
Added support for setting up and signing in to Windows without passwords through Microsoft phone number accounts
Streamlined Windows Hello PIN reset experience
Finalized recommended troubleshooting feature in Settings app
New Automatic Restart and Sign On (ARSO) feature for certain Cloud Domain Joined devices
Added support for setting default tab in Task Manager
Updated Settings homepage
New friendly dates format in File Explorer
Re-introduced Fluent Design shadow elements and redesigned Japanese IME
New Office app
Integrated to-do lists across Cortana, Microsoft To-Do and Outlook
Improvements to Narrator and Ease of Access
New Windows reserved storage mechanism
Raised slot allocation limit of per-process fiber-local storage
Updated Reset This PC UI
Improvements to Windows Subsystem for Linux Command Line Tool
Decoupled Cortana and search in the taskbar
Reliability improvements to Start
New drag and drop installation method for font files in Settings app
Simplified Windows Insider Program settings
Improvements to Windows Console
Improved raw image format support
Improvements to light theme
Reverted the redesigned Japanese IME to the retail version for maintenance
New top apps feature in Search
Added Win32 apps support in Windows Mixed Reality
Added support for Adlam and Osage keyboard
Improvements to Narrator
Improvements related to gaming experience
Added support for directly accessing Linux subsystem files in a WSL distro through File Explorer
Improvements to WSL command line interface (wsl.exe) capability
Improvements to Windows Sandbox
Added full support for Emoji 12
Improvements to Game Mode