Tech News

Windows Will Be Getting Some Changes Thanks to European Laws

These laws are designed to comply with the Digital Markets Act.

In some past stories, I’ve talked about different Windows stuff. You can find those linked at the end of this post. But today, I wanna chat about how Microsoft’s shaking up Windows to follow the rules in Europe.

Microsoft’s shaking up Windows, and the buzz is that some of these shifts are already underway. The freshest non-security update for Windows 11 is packing a bunch of tweaks that’ll eventually hit screens over the next few weeks or months.

Now, here’s the scoop for folks in the European Economic Area (EEA): Microsoft’s jazzing up the system to align with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), gearing up to be official by spring 2024.

This DMA thing is all about fair play and compatibility, and guess what? It’s the same deal-making Apple cozy up to the idea of letting users snag iPhone and iPad apps from non-Apple spots starting next year.

But hold up — what’s in it for everyone and what’s tailor-made for the EEA gang? Well, it looks like giving the boot to Edge and Bing-powered web search might just be an EEA treat. Technically, Microsoft could spread the love globally, but they’re keeping this one close to home.

The real game-changer? You’ll have the power to chuck out the Camera, Cortana, and Photos apps, along with Bing Search and Edge if you’re in the EEA.

And that’s not all, folks! Now, Windows will straight-up label its features in Settings, Start, and Search. So when you’re rummaging through the Search bar, you’ll know what’s what — anything tagged “system” is, well, a system feature or an app.

But wait, there’s more! Microsoft’s boosting interoperability too. If you’re in the EEA, you’ll soon mix and match your Microsoft Start feed with content from other sources. Ain’t that a nice touch?

Oh, and here’s a kicker: What you get depends on what you tell Microsoft about your computer’s whereabouts. According to the tech giant, Where you say your PC is during setup tells us if it’s chillin’ in the EEA. And once you pick that, switching regions for DMA reasons? Only happens if you hit reset on your PC.

Now, about that Copilot AI thingy — it’s on pause for EEA Windows users. The previewed update ain’t carrying that feature, and the word is, that it’s initially showing up in places like North America, the United Kingdom, and bits of Asia and South America. But fear not, EEA folks, you’re still on Microsoft’s radar for this.

Final Words

So, what’s the deal with these changes being in preview mode? It’s all about letting users take ’em for a spin and flag any gremlins.

No firm schedule for a widespread rollout yet, but you betcha Microsoft’s gotta hustle.

They’ve got that March 6th, 2024 deadline looming over their heads, just like other tech bigwigs needing to toe the line in the EEA.

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Here are a few of my previous stories relating to Windows I believe you will enjoy:

References

The EU will finally free Windows users from Bing.

Microsoft plans huge changes to Windows to comply with European law.

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