Microsoft CEO confirms big plans about the future of Windows 10 at Build 2021

Microsoft Build 2021, an annual developer conference for Microsoft products, has just begun. During the opening keynote, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussed some of the company’s future plans for Windows, referring to them as “one of the most significant updates to Windows [in] the past decade.”

This year, Microsoft hasn’t given us much information about the future of Windows. While an anticipated update was recently released, the company’s big plans are still under wraps, and no major announcements have been made.

However, there are indications that a larger update will be released in the fall. The rumored update, code-named Sun Valley, is said to include significant changes to Windows’ user interface. Today’s Build teaser reveals more about what we can expect in the coming months.

In his speech, Nadella emphasized the significance of Windows and other Microsoft products, saying, “Across all of the opportunities I’ve highlighted today, Windows is implicit.”

It has never been more critical. More than 1.3 billion people use Windows 10 to work, learn, connect, and play. And it all starts with Windows as a development platform. Windows assembles all developer and collaboration tools in a single location. It allows you to choose your own hardware, works with both Linux and Windows, and has a modern terminal.”

Moving on to the future of Windows, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated, “And soon we will share one of the most significant updates to Windows in the last decade to unlock greater economic opportunity for developers and creators.”

I’ve been self-hosting it for a few months now, and I’m very excited about the next generation of Windows.

Our promise to you is that we will create more opportunities for every Windows developer today, and we will welcome any creator looking for the most innovative, new, open platform to build, distribute, and monetize applications. We hope to share more information with you soon.”

There are a few implications here that are consistent with what we already know about the update. A recent job posting on Microsoft’s career website confirms these rumors.

The company is obviously looking for a program manager to work with the Interactive eXperiences Platform (IXP) Team.

The team is in charge of “the core Composition, Rendering, and Input platforms upon which the UX of Windows and all Windows apps [are] built — from the Windows Start Menu to Office, from Edge to your favorite Windows apps.”

Combine this with Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer Panos Panay’s statement at Ignite 2021 that “it’s going to be a massive year for Windows,” and it appears clear that Windows users are in for some exciting changes.

It is unclear whether all of the above will be implemented as a Windows 10 update or as an entirely new version of Windows.

While we only have rumors and fragments of information to go on right now, we may learn more soon. Microsoft is expected to hold a Windows-focused event in the coming weeks, which will hopefully reveal more about the future of the Sun Valley project and Windows as a whole.