Windows RT 8.1 Update 3 new features exposure September

Microsoft will provide Update 3 updates for Windows RT 8.1 users in September this year. Microsoft confirmed in January that Windows RT 8.1 users will not be able to upgrade to Windows 10. Microsoft's initial statement said that Windows RT 8.1 users will receive a subset of Windows 10 features, but did not specify what it is. After a full seven months, the company has not yet detailed the Update 3 update. According to sources, Microsoft is planning to return the Start menu to Windows RT in Update 3, but it will not be the same as the Windows 10 RTM Start menu.

In contrast, Microsoft is porting the DirectUI start menu to Windows RT. This start menu appeared in the Windows 10 technology preview last October, because the DirectUI start menu is built on Windows 8.1. On the code, and without using any new APIs, the Windows 10 RTM Start Menu is built using XAML and some new Windows 10 specific APIs.

Windows 10 Technology Preview test users know that the DirectUI start menu is quite good, and some even think that this version of the menu is actually better than the Windows 10 RTM start menu. Update 3 does not support window mode, modern UI applications will open in full screen mode, desktop applications will only exist on the desktop, and there is no continuous/tablet mode and universal application platform. These features require a new Windows 10 API and code, and the start menu switch and launch screen will be a manual process, done by a toggle switch.

The source disclosed that the original release date of Update 3 was July 29, released with Windows 10, but has been postponed until September.