Now more essential than ever — the role of the Windows PC has changed

This year brought an incredible amount of change to people’s lives. The way each of us is working, learning, creating, even how we’re connecting has changed. Many of you have turned to Windows PCs as an essential tool in these times, driving Windows 10 monthly active devices to grow by double digits year on year.

Windows PCs have become our classrooms where young minds are stretched, developed and challenged. They’ve become our offices where we connect and collaborate with our teammates. They even enable us to explore new worlds, immerse in a game, escape from the day, and dive into our favorite movie or musical playlist. For over 1 billion people the Windows PC is their window to the world.

We understand you are counting on Windows to help your kids learn, help you work, help you connect, help you play. You are counting on us to listen, to adapt, to help.

We don’t take that responsibility lightly.

We are humbled by the role our technology and Windows continue to play in people’s lives. It’s critical that we meet people where they are today and help them get to where they want to be in the future and that’s why we continue to push forward and invest in Windows.

Productivity, security, gaming — we continue to push the boundaries of our core experiences. Whether it’s helping people discover existing features to help them focus and lessen eyestrain or by making it easier for people to connect their worlds across ecosystems with the Your Phone app, which enables seamless connection with the Windows PC. On the horizon, Meet Now will be integrated into the Taskbar making it faster and easier to connect people with those most important to them. And soon the team will roll out the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, bringing more new features and tools for our customers.

We are excited about the momentum we are seeing from app partners embracing Windows 10 on ARM, taking advantage of the power and performance benefits of Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. We heard your feedback and are making Microsoft Edge faster while using less battery, and announced that we will soon release a native Microsoft Teams client optimized for Windows 10 on ARM. We will also expand support for running x64 apps, with x64 emulation starting to roll out to the Windows Insider Program in November. Because developers asked, Visual Studio Code has also been updated and optimized for Windows 10 on ARM. For organizations, we’re committed to helping them ensure their apps work with Windows 10 and Microsoft 365 Apps on ARM64 devices with App Assure. We are working closely with Acer, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Surface to bring these Windows 10 on ARM innovations and products to our shared customers.

Our company mission, to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, drives us. It reminds us that there isn’t one PC that will work for all — offering choice is critical. Today, we’re pleased to share some of the latest PC innovations from our OEM partners.

New Windows 10 PCs from our OEM partners

Face-to-face has become camera-to-camera. Lending an ear means turning up a speaker. Non-verbal cues are interpreted through a screen. Voice inflection is filtered through a mic. One of the primary ways we used to communicate and connect has changed. Webcams, mics, speakers, internet connections and all-around performance — these tools are critical for the day-to-day.

Along with our partners, we are working hard to meet those needs. Here are some of the latest new devices coming to a kitchen counter, couch, table, or desk near you.

You don’t have to sacrifice battery life or performance for a sleek laptop. So go ahead, leave the cord behind and work from the office, bedroom, backyard, or even car.

• Acer: The new Acer Swift 5 is a sleek Windows 10 notebook for performance-minded people. Its stylish good looks are bolstered by the durable and lightweight magnesium-lithium and magnesium-aluminum design that is just 0.60-inch thin and weighs only 1kg (2.18 pounds). The Swift 5 keeps people productive and connected with up to 12 hours of battery life and solid performance thanks to the 10th Gen Intel Core. Plus, the full HD touch display has in-plane switching display technology for wider viewing angles and super-slim bezels for an 86.4% screen-to-body ratio.

Sometimes you just need a little more screen for editing or maybe just watching a video while you research that paper.

• ASUS: The current ASUS ZenBook Duo is a 14-inch laptop featuring the new ASUS ScreenPad Plus — a 12.6-inch full-width auxiliary touchscreen that expands and enhances the interactive capabilities offered by the original ASUS ScreenPad. ScreenPad Plus changes the way people can interact with their laptop, encouraging productivity-enhancing workflows and easy multitasking. A 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, combined with up to 16GB RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce MX250 GPU, provides extreme performance.

A detachable, see-through laptop that’s fun to learn on and learn about. Every kid (and parent) is going to want one.

• Kano: Featuring click in, click out parts, the Kano PC is ideal for at-home and 21^st century learning. With its two-in-one convertible design, the buildable laptop has an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, along with a transparent back, which allows students to actually see how the device operates and better understand their technology. The Kano PC comes with Windows 10 Home privacy and safety tools, enabling families to have full transparency into how the device is being used. With durable design, a protective cover and free Kano learning apps built in, this device offers a unique learning experience.

All the power and graphics for your favorite games.

• Dell: Alienware’s m15 R3 thin and powerful gaming laptops are engineered with NVIDIA GeForce RTX or AMD Radeon graphics options that support DirectX 12 Ultimate, giving people access to rich and immersive experiences. People can choose from vibrant, high resolution, OLED 4K displays or esports-inspired FHD 300hz displays for competitive gamers for whom fast-action details are crucial. Alienware laptops support Wi-Fi 6, Windows Hello and offer optional Tobii Eyetracking for even more immersive experiences.

The mountains, the desert, parking lots, building sites — wherever life takes you, this laptop will keep you connected.

• HP: Now coming with 4G LTE and Wi-Fi 6, the HP Pavilion X360 14 has been refreshed with an 11th Gen Intel Core processor with Intel Iris Xe graphics, has a 14-inch optional Full HD, in-plane switching display with a three-sided narrow bezel, and supports Windows Hello, touch and digital pen. With advanced wireless technology and long-lasting battery life this device is packed with power for high performance.

A blank hi-res 4K UHD canvas for the amateur or professional.

• Lenovo: The Lenovo Yoga A940 features a 27-inch tilting 4K UHD display with Digital Pen support, and a Content Creation dial that lets you scroll and calibrate your favorite programs. The device even comes with a wireless charging dock, and supports Windows Hello for fast and secure sign in.

It’s so thin and light you’ll want to take it everywhere — and with built in LTE you can connect from anywhere.

• Samsung: Weighing just over 2 pounds, the Samsung Galaxy Book S offers remarkable computing performance with long-lasting battery life to get you through multiple work days with the Wi-Fi variant powered by the latest Intel Core i5 Processors with Intel Hybrid Technology or Gigabit LTE-enabled version by Qualcomm, so you are able to stay connected to what matters most.

The way we work, learn, create and connect has changed. The Windows PC has become more essential. What started as a vision for a PC for every home has evolved to the need for a PC for every person. Together with our partners we’re committed to continuing to listen and bring the innovation you need to market.