Screenshots of the new Windows 11 operating system have leaked online ahead of its expected launch on June 24. While the changes appear mostly aesthetic, they include a new Start menu, home screen, and startup sound. Experts say the goal of these changes is to give the system a more modern look similar to macOS. No hints were included regarding the long-rumored updates for the Microsoft Store in the leak.
The changes to the store, which Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said would open greater economic opportunities for developers and creators, could include allowing in-app sales from third-party platforms.
Some of the screenshots included images suggesting the integration of Xbox and Game Pass apps in Windows 11. Microsoft is expected to officially unveil Windows 11 at the "See What’s Next" event on June 24.
The images allegedly from Windows 11 appeared on the Chinese site Baidu and were first reported by The Verge.
Based on the leaks, the new operating system seems more like an "upgraded version of Windows 10x" rather than a radical redesign. According to The Verge, Microsoft had been working on simplifying Windows for dual-screen devices before choosing to abandon this effort in favor of focusing on Windows 11.
Among the notable changes in the new operating system are a simplified Start button and a menu with "installable" apps, along with quick access to shut down or restart.
The taskbar now has app icons centered, with users expected to have the ability to revert it to the left "classic" position. The leaks also mentioned a new icon on the taskbar called "Widgets," indicating that Microsoft is bringing back Windows Widgets, aimed at "providing quick access to news, weather, and other web content."
The new simplified user interface also features rounded corners on windows, menus, and apps, including the Start menu itself. Reports suggest there will be 24 regular wallpapers and 8 keyboard layouts available in the new system.
The leak comes nearly a week after Apple gave users their first glimpse of the new iOS 15 operating system during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference on June 7, as reported by the Daily Mail.
