Tag: windows 8

Windows 11 Now Running on Over 400 Million Monthly Active Devices: Report

Microsoft unveiled Windows 11 in 2021, and since then, the tech major has released several significant updates and new features to the operating system. A media report has now revealed that Windows 11 is powering more than 400 million monthly active devices. The latest operating system is said to reach 500 million active devices by 2024. This is a significantly slower adoption rate than the old Windows 10. Windows 11 touched 400 million active devices just over a year after its release.

A report by Windows Central, citing Microsoft’s internal data, states that Windows 11 is now in use on over 400 million monthly active devices and it will hit 500 million monthly active devices by early 2024. The adoption pace of Windows 11 seems to be notably slower than Windows 10. However, the report notes that Microsoft has set a “modest” expectation for the Windows 11 usage base and the company has consistently blown past these internal goals. Windows 11 has been reportedly more successful than the company expected from a user-base standpoint.

Windows 11 was unveiled in July 2021 with notable design changes including a new boot screen, startup sound, and upgraded widgets. Microsoft took two years to reach 400 million monthly active devices with Windows 11, whereas Windows 10, which debuted in June 2015, hit 400 million monthly active devices in just over a year. It reached 1 billion users by early 2020.

Windows 10 was introduced as a limited free upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8. Windows 11 operating system on the other hand was only supported on CPUs released from 2018 onwards due to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) requirement. The sluggish adoption rate of the Windows 11 can be attributed to these strict hardware requirements.

Windows 11 received a couple of updates in recent months. The tech giant added its AI personal assistant, Copilot, to the operating system. Microsoft’s Windows 12 is expected to be released in 2024 as the next major Windows operating system.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. We discuss the company’s new devices and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Windows 10 Free Upgrade Loophole for Windows 7 and Windows 8 Users Finally Closed by Microsoft

Windows 10 upgrades from older versions like Windows 7 and Windows 8 via a hidden loophole were recently shut down by Microsoft, which means that users running on the now obsolete versions of Windows will need to purchase a new license for Windows 10 if they want to upgrade to a supported operating system. Microsoft will provide updates to Windows 10 until 2025, while users running on older hardware might face compatibility issues when upgrading to the company’s latest desktop operating system.

Microsoft recently published a blog post (via Windows Central) that states that Microsoft’s official offer to upgrade to Windows 10 for free ended in July 2016. The company adds that the installation path to obtain the Windows 7 or Windows 8 free upgrade is also removed. As a result, users still running on older versions cannot use workarounds to update to Windows 10.

While Microsoft officially allowed users to upgrade to Windows 10 — at no additional cost — from Windows 7 or Windows 8 for free until July 29, 2016, users could use workarounds and other loopholes that remained accessible for years after the stipulated deadline to upgrade to Windows 10.

Since then, Microsoft has announced a new version of its desktop OS — Windows 11, the currently supported operating system model. Users who are running on Windows 10 will stop receiving important software updates in 2025, while Windows 7 and Windows 8 have already stopped receiving security updates and feature updates.

If you are already running on Windows 10, Microsoft says you can continue to upgrade to Windows 11 for free. However, upgrading to Windows 11 also requires a relatively new computer processor and other hardware requirements by Microsoft.

As a result, the only option for many users with older computers might be to purchase a standalone Windows 10 licence, which will allow them to receive updates until 2025, when Microsoft discontinues support for the operating system. Customers can also consider purchasing a new computer running on a preinstalled version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 out-of-the-box.

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Steam Is Ending Support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 in January 2024: Details

Valve is ending Steam support on some older editions of Windows. Starting January 1, 2024, Steam will cease to function on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 operating systems. The official blog post reads, “The newest features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which no longer functions on older versions of Windows.” Furthermore, future versions of Steam will rely on features and security updates that are present only in Windows 10 and beyond. With Microsoft itself halting support for those versions earlier this year, it was only a matter of time before others such as Steam followed suit.

As per Valve’s February Hardware and Software Survey, only 0.09 percent of players use a Windows 7 system, with an additional 1.43 percent running Steam on the 64-bit version. Only 0.34 percent of players take up the Windows 8.1 slot, while Windows 10 constitutes the largest amount of players — 62.33 percent. Meanwhile, 32.06 percent of players run Steam on the new Windows 11, coming in second place. Using Steam and any games purchased through the app from 2024 onwards will require users to update to a recent version of Windows. While any PC running Windows 7 can be upgraded to Windows 10 without hassle, moving to Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0 setting for security reasons. This can be enabled through your motherboard’s BIOS settings.

Earlier this month, Fortnite dropped support for Windows 7 and 8, citing security concerns as well as the implementation of Unreal Engine 5.1. For those unable to upgrade, game streaming via Nvidia GeForce Now was mentioned as an alternative.

On a different note, Dolphin Emulator, the go-to app for playing Nintendo Wii and GameCube games on PC, will soon be available on Steam. A store page for the emulator is now live, featuring an option to wishlist it and plans to release sometime in Q2 2023.

“When we launch on Steam, we’ll have a feature article detailing the process and features of the Steam release,” the Dolphin blog post reads. “We’re pleased to finally tell the world of our experiment. This has been the product of many months of work, and we look forward to getting it into users’ hands soon!” the post continues. The Steam page also notes ‘Partial Controller Support’ for the Dolphin Emulator, alongside a promise for cloud saves. When ready, it will be launched in Early Access, as the developers continue gathering data for a streamlined experience later down the line.

In February, Steam unveiled its entire Sales and Fests scheduled for 2023, allowing users to mark their calendars and plan out their game shopping spree. Last year, the company also updated its regional pricing tool, setting higher recommended game costs for countries outside the US. According to that chart, default PC game prices in India could increase by up to 85 percent, provided the developers accept those increments and make changes to the base prices of their games.

As stated before, Steam support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 ends on January 1, 2024.

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Microsoft Announces Support For Windows 8.1 to End in January 2023

Microsoft has announced to end the support for Windows 8.1 operating software. The tech giant has said that the technical support and security updates for the old version of Windows operating system will no longer be provided after January 10, 2023. Microsoft is also recommending users to switch to a new PC that can run Windows 11. It has also published a list of FAQs for addressing the doubts which the people using the older version of Windows might have. The company also said that staying on Windows 8.1 after January 2023 can expose your PC to greater risks.

The tech giant, Microsoft, recently announced via its support website that the company will stop providing Windows 8.1 users with latest security updates, technical support, and software updates for the old version of the Windows operating system staring from January 10, 2023.

As the company announces the end of support for Windows 8.1, it has also highlighted that this could potentially put the users’ PCs with older operating systems at a greater risk for viruses and malware. Microsoft has also published a list of FAQs for the Windows 8.1 users to answer the doubts they might have. In the FAQs, the company has recommended users to switch to a newer version of the operating system or to use a new device that runs Windows 11 for easy transition and a better experience.

The support for Windows 8.1 being discontinued does not mean that the software will stop working, rather it will just stop receiving the new security and software updates. After January 10 next year, Microsoft 365 applications will too no longer be supported on Windows 8.1. As these are governed by Microsoft’s Modern Lifecycle Policy that requires users to stay updated, even the Microsoft Office applications like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and others will stop receiving the latest security and software updates.

Microsoft had stopped providing the technical support, security, and software updates for Windows 8 on January 12, 2016 after the company decided to package Windows 8.1 as a service pack for Windows 8.

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