Good news, Windows 8 and 8.1 haters! Windows 9 will get rid of the Charms menu that stores Search, Settings, and other portals to the operating system’s Metro UI, a report says.
The Charms menu is one of the reasons that Windows 8 has not been well received by PC users since Windows 8’s release in late 2012, which is why Microsoft is reportedly opting to ditch it. If that’s the case, then that would definitely be an example of addition by subtraction. What’s more, the Charms bar will be severed from all Windows 9 devices; both traditional PCs, and tablets as well.
Related: Windows 9 could be a free upgrade for Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 users
That doesn’t necessarily mean that the functionality in the Charms bar will be going away entirely. The same options will be added to the top of apps in the form of a title bar. In other words, you could be seeing Charms-button like controls exactly where you’d find buttons like File and Edit in traditional desktop programs. This should make use and access both easier, and less jarring.
However, Microsoft won’t just be pinning its hopes for Windows 9 on slicing off un-liked Windows 8 features from the OS. Microsoft may also add virtual desktops to the next iteration of Windows, though it’s unclear whether this feature will be something that’s easy to find and use, or buried deep within the OS and tailored towards hardcore users. The addition of virtual desktops could make it easier to use more apps simultaneously, bolstering Windows’ ability to facilitate multitasking.
Related: Windows 8.1 and XP usage falls, while Windows 7 rises
Doing away with Charms and integrating them into apps individually would be a nice step for Microsoft towards bridging the divide between itself and PC users. However, it will take a lot more than that to ensure that the weak adoption numbers suffered by Windows 8 won’t be repeated once Windows 9 hits the market.
Windows 9 could be released sometime in Spring 2015, but what should Microsoft do to ensure that it’s great right off the bat? Here are five things we want to see in Redmond’s next desktop OS.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.