Microsoft kicked off its Build 2017 developers conference in Seattle yesterday with a keynote address focusing on products and services geared toward developers, but the day two keynote should be more consumer friendly. During today’s address, Microsoft will discuss the future of the Windows 10 platform, including what could be our first extended look at the Redstone 3 update and UI refresh.
As we explained yesterday, the next big Windows 10 update is said to bring even more new features to the operating system, including a social app called “My People,” support for Cortana smart speakers and Power Throttling to improve battery life. It’s also expected to include elements of Project Neon, which will be Microsoft’s first refresh of the user interface since launching the OS.
In addition to Windows 10 news, we also expect to hear more about enhancements to the Edge browser, updates on Windows Mixed Reality and more information about Microsoft’s plans for Cortana. With the recent unveiling of Amazon’s Echo Show, smart speakers are once again dominating headlines, so we’d be surprised if Microsoft didn’t spend more time discussing its own AI assistant.
Once again, we’re not expecting any major hardware announcements at the event (sorry, Surface fans), but there should but a few surprises in store. For example, there’s a chance that Xbox head Phil Spencer will make an appearance to talk about the Xbox One. He was at Build 2016, after all.
Day two of Build 2017 begins with another keynote at 11:30 AM ET, which you can watch live below: