At Gamescom 2025, Microsoft introduced a new technology - Advanced Shader Delivery. The feature targets long initial loading times and in-game performance interruptions in PC and portable gaming. It will launch with the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X devices on October 16.
Category: Software
Xbox PC App on Windows 11 Gets Aggregated Gaming Library with Diverse Sources
Xbox Insiders participating in the PC Gaming Preview program can now test the new “My Apps” feature in the Xbox PC App on Windows 11 devices, including PCs and handhelds. The feature provides centralized access to games and frequently used third-party applications such as web browsers, gaming tools, and even app stores.
Copilot app now supports Semantic Search and has new design
Microsoft has started the rollout of a new update to the Copilot app for Windows. The update, version 1.25082.132.0 and later, introduces enhanced functionality and interface improvements for Windows Insiders. The new version adds support for semantic file search directly from the assistant's chat, as well as an updated home page for quick access to recent documents and applications.
Germany’s Federal Supreme Court runs a case against Adblock Plus
The Federal Supreme Court of Germany has ordered a retrial in the legal dispute between media company Axel Springer and Eyeo, the developer of Adblock Plus. The case centers on whether browser-based ad blockers violate copyright by altering website content.
PowerToys 0.93 comes with a UI redesing and major improvements
Microsoft's PowerToys has reached version 0.93, delivering significant performance enhancements and new functionality. It introduces a redesigned, card-based Settings dashboard with improved navigation and clearer descriptions for a more intuitive experience. The Command Palette has been significantly optimized, reducing startup memory usage by 15%, load time by 40%, and installation size by 55% through full Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compilation in the Windows App SDK. Over 99 issues were resolved, including restored clipboard history, context menu shortcuts, app pinning, and enhanced run command history.
Microsoft Adds Free GPT-4o Access to Bing Image Creator
Microsoft has introduced the GPT-4o model to Bing Image Creator at no cost, enhancing the platform’s creative capabilities. This update gives users immediate access to two distinct AI image generation models: GPT-4o and DALL-E3. The addition of GPT-4o improves visual quality, prompt comprehension, and detail accuracy, particularly in text rendering and fine features. Users now generate more realistic and imaginative visuals with greater precision.
Microsoft Lens app for Android and iOS is ending support
Microsoft has announced that it will gradually phase out support for the Microsoft Lens app for Android and iOS mobile devices. As a reminder, this app allows you to convert images to PDF, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files, as well as recognize printed and handwritten text.
Gaming Copilot (Beta) Enters Testing on Game Bar for Xbox Insiders
Gaming Copilot (Beta) has launched within Game Bar for Windows PCs. It is already available exclusively to Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview program. Its main feature is to offer real-time support during gaming sessions.
Microsoft Enables GPT-5 Across Copilot Ecosystem in Major Update
Microsoft has rolled out OpenAI’s GPT-5 across its product suite, including Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Azure AI Foundry, and GitHub Copilot. The release marks a synchronized deployment of the new model, now accessible via a smart mode in Copilot. The latter automatically selects between reasoning and response speed based on task demands.
Microsoft to Open Source Windows App SDK
Microsoft has issued a detailed announcement regarding the Windows App SDK, which becomes open source. In this way, the company responded to developers' questions about inconsistent update schedules, delays in completing key milestones, and an unclear direction for the platform's development.