Windows Weekly 915

The first Patch Tuesday of 2025 brings temporary but sweet relief. There were no preview updates last month, so this month is just security/bug fixes. Plus, will Microsoft back down from its Windows 10 EOL line in the sand? It appears not. Finally, got New Year’s resolutions? Paul's got a better idea. Maybe...

Windows

• New Canary build with nothing in it
• Microsoft will not support Office on Windows 10 after October EOL date
• Microsoft is auto-installing the new Outlook in Windows 10 too - Don’t let the door hit you on the way out
• Parallels Desktop for Mac now supports running x86 Windows VMs. Very slowly

AI, Microsoft 365

• New business models for AI emerge in 2025. Pay as you go vs. pay or no pay
• Microsoft has shifted its business model strategy over two years
• 15 months of Copilot in Windows: Madness
• Microsoft announces pay-as-you-go AI agents
• Google has a different (better) take with “the best of Google AI” in Workspace
• What to expect: Price hikes on subscription services to pay for this AI
• Massive reorg of Microsoft’s engineering groups is all about AI - There are PM-level layoffs happening now all over Microsoft
• OpenAI adds tasks in beta to ChatGPT
• Microsoft Excel in Windows will soon support dark mode. Wait, what?

Hardware

• Surface teases a big announcement on January 30
• AMD surges on incredible new x86 chips and Intel’s epic fail
• Former Surface design lead Ralf Groene joins Panos at Amazon. Why?
• Arm Holdings plans massive licensing price hikes. Everyone needs to settle the F down
• There’s a 16 GB Raspberry Pi 5 now. But at this price, a low-end NUC is the better choice for most

Dev

• .NET 9.0.1 arrives - and with it, the fix for the app-crashing WPF/Windows 11 theming bug
• Paul tried GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio. It is MAGIC

Xbox

• Microsoft is clearly planning something big for gaming handhelds. Windows or Xbox? Or both?
• Happy New Year, Xbox fans! Microsoft to bring more Xbox exclusives to PS, Switch
• Xbox to host a Developer Direct event next week
• Microsoft introduces new Xbox repair options
• The Nintendo Switch 2 is leaking all over the place, and there were prototypes at CES

Tips and Picks

• Tip of the week: Think about making micro changes each month or quarter instead of huge, sweeping changes once a year
• App pick of the week: Start11 v2.5
• RunAs Radio this week: DevOpsDocs with Mattias Karlsson
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Buchanan’s Deluxe 12
   

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Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

• Tech: "It's Literally Black Magic" - A First Dance with GitHub Copilot
• Transcripts: Windows Weekly 915 Transcript

Links

• January 2025 Patch Tuesday Updates Are Out for Windows 11 and Windows 10
• Microsoft Releases Windows 11 Canary Build 27768
• Microsoft Will Not Support Office on Windows 10 After October 14
• Windows 10 Users Will Automatically Get Microsoft’s New Outlook Client Next Month
• Parallels Desktop Now Supports Intel-based Virtual Machines on Apple Silicon Macs
• 2025 is the Year of Competing AI Business Models (Premium)
• The Madness of Copilot in Windows 11 (Premium)
• Microsoft Adds Pay-as-you-go AI Agents to its Copilot Chatbot for Businesses
• Google Adds AI to All Workspace Plans with Small Price Hike
• Microsoft Announces New CoreAI – Platform and Tools Division
• OpenAI Brings Tasks to ChatGPT in Beta
• Excel for Windows is Getting Proper Dark Mode Support
• Microsoft Teases Surface for Business Announcements on January 30
• AMD PC Chip Demand Surges on Intel Woes
• Ralf Groene Now Leads Design for Amazon’s Devices and Services
• Report: Arm Holdings Plans Sweeping Price Hikes
• Raspberry Pi Introduces a 16 GB Pi 5
• .NETpad 2025: .NET 9.0.1 Fixes the App Crashing Bug (Premium)
• Microsoft is Working on Console-Like Experience For Windows-Based Gaming Handhelds
• More Xbox Exclusive Franchises May Be Coming to PlayStation and Nintendo Consoles
• Xbox Announces Developer_Direct Livestream on January 23
• Microsoft Expands Repair Options for Xbox Series X|S Consoles
• Nintendo Addresses Recent Switch 2 Leaks
• Accessory Makers Are Showing Nintendo Switch 2 Mockups at CES
• From the Editor’s Desk: Goooal!! (Premium)
• Start11
• DevOpsDocs with Mattias Karlsson
• Buchanan’s Deluxe 12