If there is one thing that makes us think of the modern day Windows, it is Microsoft’s Live Tiles. Originally making their debut as part of Windows Phone and then migrating to anything Microsoft can shoehorn them into, Live Tiles, when boiled down to their basics, are icons that offer live information to users rather than being static buttons for people to tap. Live Tiles help to make Windows on all platforms feel, well, live.
While Live Tiles are, at this point, pretty well established, that doesn’t mean that nobody wants to see them evolve into something a little more – a little better. Microsoft apparently agrees, because if the sessions for the upcoming Build conference next week are anything to go by, Live Tiles in Windows 10 might be about to get a facelift.
The session that caught the imagination for many across the internet is one entitled “What’s New for Tiles and Toast Notifications,” with the session’s notes going on to say that “Live Tiles are evolving with two highly-requested surprises that you won’t want to miss.” At this point, we obviously don’t quite know what that might entail, but the fact that Microsoft feels the need to give Live Tiles some airtime during its conference sessions suggests that something of real note is on the cards.
Concepts have, in the past, suggested that interactive Live Tiles may offer something new, with tiles offering an easy and quick way to reply to messages, or interact with data as it is presented in real-time. In fact, Windows 10 was said to have interactive tiles from the get go. Microsoft might have decided to take some time and further polish the the linked APIs, as this feature has the potential to change the way users interact with apps on the platform. Not having to open apps to see data is what made Live Tiles so popular in the first place, and having them be interactive as well would definitely give them an extra dimension.
Whatever the session will actually tell us, Build 2016 kicks off next week, at which time, everything will be laid bare.
Description of the aforementioned “What’s New for Tiles and Toast Notifications” session of Build 2016
(Source: Microsoft Channel 9)
You may also like to check out:
- Microsoft Bringing Windows 10 Apps To Xbox One
- Microsoft Drops Plan To Bring Android Apps To Windows 10 Mobile Phones
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
