Windows Weekly 925

What’s next? Windows 12? Windows 11 25H2? You’re not going to believe what happens next! A look back at everything Microsoft tested in just the Dev channel and then did or did not release to stable, and when. The list of unreleased features is unexpectedly long - most of this must be the next Windows version. Plus, If you have a PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate subscription, there are more benefits now and they’re easier to find.

Windows 11 in 2025

• Dev channel moves to a new build sequence
• Microsoft issues Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 23H2 (But not 24H2)
• Release Preview (24H2) - AI-powered Windows Search experience is barreling towards stable
• Beta (23H2) and now Canary - Mostly just fixes
• New AI features in Notepad, Paint, and Snipping tool head to all Insiders
• Photos app update to all Insiders, adds Copilot integration, more

Microsoft 365

• Microsoft 365 Copilot gets two reasoning agents, Researcher and Analyst
• AI - Agents - Reasoning AI --- Reasoning Agents? You got your reasoning in my agent!
• Microsoft to launch Security Copilots in April
• Microsoft releases first two Microsoft 365 companion apps for Windows 11, threatens to make more
• Here comes Copilot in OneDrive, to consumer Microsoft 365 account holders
• Anonymous document sharing for Word, Excel, PowerPoint comes to iPhone/iPad (is on web already)
• OneNote for Windows 10 RIP  in October after years of malaise

AI

• Browsers to change in the agentic AI era - are they still browsers? Will we still browse?
• “In Russia, the browser browses for you!”
• Sam Altman pulls a Bill Gates in executive shift
• ChatGPT gets image generation with GPT-4o
• Google brings AI search to Gmail - Hopefully, it’s better than AI search in Photos
• Google releases first Gemini 2.5 model, all will be reasoning (thinking) models going forward
• Amazon is testing AI-powered Interests feature in the U.S.
• After it’s success with conversational Siri, Apple to bring AI to Apple Watch, AirPods
• Speaking of which, Apple sued for advertising Apple Intelligence - maybe it’s time for a level set here
• Exec reshuffle to fix Siri woes - maybe it’s time to Ol’ Yeller this
• WWDC is on for June 9  - [waves hands] Look, it’s iOS 19!
• Opera upgrades three of its web browsers (really, four) with new Aria AI features

Xbox

• Microsoft wants to make Xbox app in Windows the central hub for all stores
• Microsoft testing new Game Hub on Xbox
• Microsoft to release Vibrant Visuals upgrade for Minecraft this year
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to PS5 on April 17
• New Assassin’s Creed game (Shadows) gets off to a great start, with 2 million players in first 2 days, better than Origins and Odyssey. Most played game on Steam over the weekend, second-highest day-one sales revenue in the franchise’s history (behind Valhalla), best ever day-one launch on the PlayStation Store. 27 percent of players are on PC

Tips and Picks

• Tip of the week: Take advantages of Game Pass in-game benefits
• App pick of the week: Google Drive for Windows
• RunAs Radio this week: Writing Better PowerShell with Jeff Hicks
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Kempisch Vuur
   

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Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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• Transcripts: Windows Weekly 925 Transcript

Links

• Windows Insider Dev Channel is Moving to 26200 Series Builds
• Making Sense of Windows 11 in 2025 (Premium)
• Microsoft Releases March Optional Updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10
• AI-Powered Windows Search Comes to Release Preview Testers With Copilot+ PCs
• Microsoft Releases Another Windows 11 23H2 Build on the Beta Channel
• Windows Insider Canary Channel Gets a Bug Fixing Update
• Microsoft Expands New Notepad, Paint, and Snipping Tool Features to All Insiders
• Microsoft Photos App Update For Insiders Adds Copilot Integration and More
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Adds Two Reasoning Agents for Work
• Microsoft to Launch New Security Copilot Agents Next Month
• Microsoft Announces Two New Microsoft 365 Companion Apps for Windows 11
• Microsoft Announces Two New Microsoft 365 Companion Apps for Windows 11
• Copilot in OneDrive Begins Rolling Out to Microsoft 365 Consumer Subscribers
• Microsoft Brings Anonymous Office Document Sharing to iPhone and iPad
• Microsoft Finally Kills OneNote for Windows 10
• Web Browsers, Agentic AI, and the Future (Premium)
• OpenAI Announces Leadership Update
• ChatGPT Now Supports Image Generation With GPT-4o
• Google Brings Smarter, AI-Based Search to Gmail
• Google Launches First Gemini 2.5 Model
• Amazon Begins Testing Interests in the U.S.
• Gurman: Apple Intelligence is Coming to Apple Watch
• Apple Has Been Sued Over False Advertising of Apple Intelligence
• Apple Tasks Vision Pro Creator With Fixing Siri
• Apple’s WWDC25 Developer Conference to Kick Off on June 9
• Opera One, Opera GX, and Opera for Android Get Aria AI Upgrades
• Microsoft Briefly Shared Xbox UI Mockup With Steam Integration
• Xbox Cloud Gaming Gets More Titles and Game Switching Improvements
• Microsoft is Testing New Game Hubs on Xbox
• Microsoft is Bringing Vibrant Visuals to Minecraft
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is Coming to PlayStation 5 on April 17
• PC Game Pass, Game Pass Ultimate Get More In-Game Benefits
• Amazon Kicks Off Big Spring Sale, Here Are the Best Deals
• Google Drive for Windows 11 on Arm is Now Available
• Cursor
• Writing Better PowerShell with Jeff Hicks
• ONZE WHISKY