Windows 10 Roadmap Reveals Upcoming Features

Late last week a webpage surfaced from Microsoft that provided a detailed roadmap of Windows 10 features and unexpectedly revealed several updates that have not been announced publicly.

A little less than two weeks ago, during the Day 1 keynote at Microsoft's annual Build 2016 developers conference, we saw demos of the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update and several new features were highlighted for the next major OS update.

Then last week Windows Insiders received Build 14316 of Windows 10 which was full of new features that are expected in the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update as well.

So you would think at this point there would not be much else to discover about future updates to Windows 10 but turns out there are quite a few more according to Microsoft.

Whether they intended all of these new features to be made public we may never know but as of this morning a webpage showing these upcoming features is live over at the Microsoft corporate website.

The page is titled Take an inside look and is broken down into five areas:

The last two categories are empty for right now and the first two list features that have already been released or are being previewed right now through the Windows Insider Program.

It is the third category, In Development, that has all the juicy items including many we had not heard about.

The listings in all of these categories are a combination of consumer and business related features but I want to focus on the items that are going to be intriguing to consumers.

Use Companion Devices to unlock your Windows PC

Use your Microsoft Band 2, or other devices that integrates with the Windows 10 Companion Device Framework (CFD), as companion device for Microsoft Passport based authentication. With this a device like the Microsoft Band 2 or other third party devices, they can become an external second factor of authentication which can be used to unlock your Windows 10 PCs.

Use your phone to unlock your Windows PC

Use your Windows Phone or Android phone as remote credential store which can be used to unlock any of your Windows 10 PCs and authenticate with apps and services that support Windows Hello and Microsoft Passport based authentication.

Cortana and Action Center integration

Moves Cortana's proactive notifications into the Action Center.

Remote Display Experience

Remote display experience puts a display on every “display less” device, so users can seamlessly control Windows 10 IoT Core applications from any Windows 10 desktop PC, tablet, or phone*. In addition, the technology allows Windows 10 IoT Core devices to use remote sensor readings from any connected Windows 10 device.

Windows Ink

Get entirely new ways to capture notes and develop thoughts—quickly and easily—with your pen or fingertip.

Note: See our article about the new inking experience on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

PC to PC casting

Cast your Windows experience from one PC to another PC.

Picture in Picture

Monitor media content while focusing on other tasks.

Start menu updates

Start menu updates give more control to users, make it easier to access all apps, and provides additional optimization for touch input (i.e., tablet mode).

Projecting on PCs

Instead of only projecting a Continuum for phone experience on unconnected monitors, a Continuum-compatible phone can connect to monitors/screens that are connected to Windows 10 PCs. Connection above the lock screen, as well as behind the lock screen, are supported.

Laptop-like accessory support

Get support for a new accessory form factor that looks like a lightweight and low-cost laptop, but without any CPU or OS. When paired with a Continuum-compatible phone, it will allow you to use your phone like a laptop.

Note: See our hands on with one of these devices - the NexDock.

Touch screen support

Touch input will be supported when connecting a Continuum-compatible phone to a touch monitor.

Microsoft Edge - Web Notifications

With Microsoft Edge, you can choose to get notifications from your favorite websites, even when you are not browsing. For example, get notifications for when friends post on your Facebook page.

Now that is a pretty nice collection of new features but, as always, there is a caveat which is at the bottom of this list in bold letters:

The information on this page is for informational purposes only, is subject to change at any time without notice, and may not be applicable to customers in all geographies.

While the warning above means any one of these enhancements could end up in the bit bucket, I sure hope the vast majority of them make their way into Windows 10.

However, will they arrive in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update this July or will we have to wait until next year and Redstone 2?

But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.