8 Big Announcements at Microsoft Windows 10 Event: Brand New OS, HoloLens and More

By Anuj

| Published: Thursday, January 22, 2015, 16:04 [IST]

Microsoft held its most praised Windows 10 press event in Redmond, Washington. As expected, Microsoft made ton of new announcements as part of its new vision. The company made strong emphasis on seamlessly integrating Windows 0S - its new operating system (OS).

8 Big Announcements at Microsoft Windows 10 Event

The press event was high on technological innovation, and more importantly it gave a clear indication about the company's future direction.

In case you missed the two hours of announcements, here's everything you need to know.

Stay tuned to GizBot for more updates!

Windows 10 To Be Free Upgrade For Windows 7/8.1

As part of its new strategy, Microsoft is offering a free upgrade to Windows 10 for the first year, in case, if you own Windows 7 or Windows 8.1-powered devices. Furthermore, the Redmond-based tech giant announced that a new build of Windows 10 will be made available for users of the Windows Insiders program starting next week.

Microsoft Unravels Cortana For Windows 10

This was bound to happen, but now Microsoft has finally announced that its native digital voice assistant is coming to the desktop with Windows 10 operating System (OS). Basically, Cortana will able to set reminders, schedule appointments and even search the local hard drive.

Windows 10 Will Support Universal Apps

Microsoft's universal windows apps will work on PCs, tablets, phones and even Xbox. Developers will also be able to create tailored apps for each device type. We hope that the developer community will be happy to make apps for the Windows 10 for phones, as they have had a terrible experience dealing with the Redmond-based giant.

Successor To Internet Explorer Unveiled: Spartan

Spartan already sounds like the big daddy of web browsers. Yes, this clean looking, clutter free web browser is apparently built around a new rendering engine. It includes many new features that we've already seen on Chrome and Firefox.

Start Menu is Back

Return of the Start Menu, which had been removed from Windows 8, is back with Windows 10 OS. The new software will run on everything from phones to the company's flagship gaming console, the Xbox One.

Giant 4K TV Unveiled

An unexpected hardware announcement was already rumoured. On Wednesday, the tech giant from Redmond unveiled the Surface Hub, an 84-inch, 4K-enabled TV for office productivity.

Windows 10 OS will be made available number of Phones

Windows 10 OS will be made available on a number of the company's existing smartphones, including the Lumia 1520. Notably, Windows 10 for phones will basically act like an extension of your PC, meaning universal Windows apps could be synchronize across Windows 10 devices.

Microsoft Launches 3D Headset

The company surprisingly released a 3D headset that's unlike a Virtual Reality (VR) headset from the likes of Facebook and Samsung. Dubbed as the HoloLens, the 3D headset will allow you to interact with holographic images or enable you to play video games.

New Xbox App

Microsoft also tried to integrate Windows 10 with Xbox One, the company's latest home console. A new Xbox One app looks like a polished version of SmartGlass app, let you view your achievements or chat with your friends online.