After hearing that Microsoft may bring back the Start menu button to Windows starting with the next major release, codenamed “Threshold,” a user imagined some other ways Windows 9 (or Windows 8.2) might be improved. Andrew Ambrosino says that Microsoft has to pay attention in the future to “the little things” inside Windows, as they currently don’t work quite as expected or aren’t that user-friendly.
In addition to the return of the Start menu, the next major Windows release should also find a way for the regular Windows and the new Metro environment to coexist. Instead of having two apps, one for the “old” Windows UI and one for Metro, each with its different designs, features and notifications, Microsoft should try to unify the two environments. One way to do that is to allow users to run Metro apps inside windows in the regular desktop mode than force them to occupy the whole screen.
For what it’s worth though, a recent rumor claims that the Metro UI will be ditched in future Windows and Windows Phone versions, and will remain an optional choice for users who like it. On the other hand, a different Windows 8.2 concept has imagined a way for Microsoft to bring back the Start button without killing the Metro UI.
Ambrosino also says that Microsoft needs to address another major issue with Windows, and that’s support for stacking more than two apps on the display, so that Windows users who use big screens can fully take advantage of the added display real estate. Finally, he says that Microsoft needs to significantly upgrade its “Play To” feature that allows Windows desktop users to send content to other devices including the new Xbox One to make it easier to use, more Apple AirPlay-like.
