Windows Weekly 867

This week on Windows Weekly, join Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and (eventually) Richard Campbell for a series of chats on Microsoft Copilot, implications of AI advancements, evolving mobile and cloud services, and the intricacies of Xbox's ecosystem strategies. From the future of internet browsers to the beauty of Richard's birthplace, this episode will have you "hooked."

Windows

• Radio silence from the Windows Insider Program this past week
• Just a single bug-fixing update in Beta - need to hit that toggle to get it
• Copilot in Microsoft 365 can now be accessed from Copilot in Windows
• Copilot now opens wider by default, is resizable
• Yet another indication that this year’s big release is Windows 11 24H2, not Windows 12
• Mozilla highlights how Microsoft, Google, and Apple disadvantage Firefox on their OS platforms
• The ensh!ttification we see in Windows is a direct result of smartphone platforms and their makers’ desire to lock down those systems and create walled gardens
• Consider how default apps has worked and changed since US v. Microsoft
• Firefox has 0.5 percent usage share across all platforms now. But it’s surprisingly resilient on the one platform without ensh!ttification, Linux. This should be a proof point for the courts but we need more data
• Apple is by far the worst of the three platform makers
• Clipchamp gets two new audio features, with one more coming this month

AI

• Microsoft Copilot turns one! Twelve months of breathtaking announcements, updates, rebranding, and more
• Over 5 billion chats, 5 billion images created, “sustained growth in Bing and Edge” 
• Copilot app stores on iOS and Android, UX update, inline image editing, plus one new Copilot Pro feature (resize and regenerate images between square and landscape without leaving chat)
• Coming soon: Designer GPT inside Copilot for “an immersive, dedicated canvas inside of Copilot where you can visualize your ideas”
• Arc Browser follows up last week’s mobile release with three new AI features for desktop browser
• Microsoft partners with news organizations to create responsible AI guidelines
• Google Bard will be rebranded as Gemini 
• Google is bringing generative AI to Maps
• Google launches ImageFX, an AI image generation tool
• Meta will soon label AI-generated images on its services

More Earnings

• Amazon - up 14 percent to $170 billion in revenues
• Apple - $119.6 billion, but flat with the previous year, so the AI hand-waving begins
• Meta - up 25 percent to $40.1 billion

Xbox

• It’s happening: Physical game titles are disappearing from European retailers too
• Microsoft reportedly bringing first-party Xbox titles to PS5, other platforms
• With rumors swirling, Xbox to reveal its expanded cross-platform strategy soon
• Xbox fans need to wake up: This new strategy isn’t just right, it’s the only thing that will save this business
• First Game Pass titles for February, including another Resident Evil game 
• Nintendo has sold almost 140 million Switch consoles

Tips and Picks

• Tip of the week: Everyone can sign-up for Twitter Classic, er, Bluesky now
• App pick of the week: Mozilla Monitor
• Podcast pick of the week: Managing Cloud Native with Brendan Burns
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Cardrona Full Flight Solera

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

• Tech: Mozilla Firefox’s Big Uphill Battle
• Transcripts: Windows Weekly 867 Transcript

Links

• Windows Insider Beta Channel Gets a Bug Fixing Update
• Copilot for Microsoft 365 is Now Available Within Windows Copilot
• Copilot in Windows to Launch in a Wider Sidebar Pane by Default
• Windows 11 Version “24H2” Appears in Official Support Document
• Tilt Shift: Mozilla Shines a Harsh Light on Enshittification in the Smartphone Era (Premium)
• Clipchamp Adds New Audio Features, And More Are On the Way
• Microsoft Copilot Gets More Features and a Superbowl Ad
• Arc Browser is Adding Instant Links, Live Folders, and Arc Explorer on Desktop
• Microsoft Partners to Bring Responsible AI to News Organizations
• Google is Rebranding Bard as Gemini
• Google is Bringing Generative AI to Maps
• Google Launches New AI Image Generators and Expands Gemini Pro Availability in Bard
• Meta Will Soon Label AI-Generated Images Posted on Facebook, Instagram and Threads
• Amazon Revenues Up 14 Percent to $170 Billion
• Apple Earnings Disappoint, So It’s Finally Talking About AI
• Meta Revenues Soar 25 Percent to $40.1 Billion
• Report: Some European Game Retailers Have Stopped Stocking Xbox Games
• Bethesda’s Starfield is Reportedly Coming to PS5, Indiana Jones Could Be Next
• Xbox to Provide Clarity on its Strategy Next Week
• How Do We Still Not Understand Xbox? (Premium)
• Resident Evil 3 Remake and More Are Coming to Game Pass
• Nintendo Surges with Nearly 140 Million Switch Consoles
• Twitter/X Alternative Bluesky is Now Open to Everyone
• Meta’s Threads App Crosses 130 Million Monthly Active Users
• Mozilla Rebrands Personal Information Monitoring Service, Adds Paid Tier
• Managing Cloud Native with Brendan Burns
• Full Flight Solera