Microsoft is planning a major UI overhaul in the second half of 2021 known as the Sun Valley Project. For insiders, Windows 10 already shows the new appearance of controls and built-in apps on the desktop. Another change has affected pre-builds - the new design of the Action Center.
Here is how the updated Action Center looks.
The above screenshot features the following changes:
- A new header
- A different background
- A new collapse button
- Glyphs in the context menu
For comparison, this is what the current version looks like.
Windows 10X already has the new design for its internal builds. The most recent build of Windows 10X, which is Build 20280 as of this writing, is also notable for not having Mail and Calendar preinstalled.
Windows 10X was expected get its production-ready build in December 2020, and Microsoft is about to start shipping the first devices in North Amrerican Spring 2021. As you may remember, the initial release of the OS won't include classic Win32 Desktop app support, so Microsoft may probably launch the Cloud PC app streaming service around that time to bring more apps to the OS.
The change of the visual look of the OS will affect all editions and versions of Windows 10.
That Microsoft is working to improve the look and feel of Windows 10 is no longer a secret. The project is known as Sun Valley. It's already partially launched, and some Windows 10 apps have already started getting an updated user interface.
The company first enables these changes in Windows 10X, and then will bring them to "regular" Windows 10.
'Sun Valley' is expected to reach consumers in the Windows 10 "Cobalt" release scheduled for the holiday 2021 season, and expected to be Windows 10 version 21H2, which will most likely be a major update.
While Microsoft will issue two feature updates in 2021 as per the biannual update scheme, the significance of the updates will be reversed. The Spring update, version 21H1, will be a smaller service pack-like update, similar to what we have already seen in Windows 10 20H2 and 1909. The bigger one with more notable changes, 21H2, will come in the second half of 2021.
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The new action center looks almost identical and just as bad. Very disappointing. So much for a major redesign. Also where are the new fluent icons? Those are light years better.