Windows 10 'Anniversary Update' Has Great Secret Features

I have a problem with Windows 10. Namely how MicrosoftMSFT -7.22% is increasingly forcing it upon users happy with Windows 7 and Windows 8 – that’s not ok. But Windows 10 itself is fast improving and massive ‘Anniversary Update’ makes numerous important upgrades. It also has three great secret features…

‘Great Features’ and ‘Nasty Surprises’ are my regular columns looking at operating system updates for the best features/biggest problems hidden behind the headlines.

So what are they are? Interestingly two involve an increasingly important Windows 10 partner – Android!

#1. A Smart Windows 10 User Interface Change

Last week Microsoft confirmed that following the ‘Anniversary Update’ (its public name for the free ‘Redstone’ summer software upgrade) Windows 10 would be able to receive Android notifications in its Action Center. What it didn’t mention, however, was it would change the taskbar to better accommodate this and all programs and universal Windows apps as well.

Windows 10 will soon have notification badges to signal notifications and updates. Image credit: Microsoft

Spotted by BetaNews, Windows 10 change taskbar icons so they can support badge notifications to show the number of new alerts on each app, website or program. In practice this looks very similar to the system iOS has used for years – imagine the Outlook taskbar icon with ‘11’ on it signifying unread messages, or ‘3’ on a Facebook FB -2.57%app illustrating new notifications.

In short: nail this and Microsoft will not just give Windows 10 a huge boost but – with Windows 10 Mobile effectively sidelined – attract a lot of Windows 10 users to Android as well.

#2 Notifications Become Smart

As handy as the Windows 10 notification center is in theory, in practice it has been something of a letdown, but this all looks set to change with the Anniversary Update – and again it is tied to Android.

Smart actions in the upgraded Windows 10 notification center. Image credit: MSPowerUser

MSPowerUser has spotted some great news from one of the Build breakout sessions: Windows 10 will not only be able to receive Android notifications, but also interact with them. For example: replying to SMS messages, dismissing reminders and more. It isn’t yet clear if more advanced functionality – such as replying to phone calls (possible with ‘Continuity’ between iOS and OS X) – will also be coming.