<p>We were inundated with new Windows features in 2025, but which ones actually moved the needle? <em>Fortnite </em>isn't just back on iPhone and Android, it's available on Windows 11 on Arm, and it works great! Plus, 2 big mobile wins for Epic Games and some thoughts on the "right" way to roll out AI features.<p>Windows 11</p><ul> <li>Best Windows 11 updates of 2025, in no particular order...</li> <li>Dark mode improvements to File Explorer</li> <li>Widgets major overhaul with separate widgets and Discovery feed</li> <li>Xbox Full Screen experience - especially good on handhelds, of course, but also any PC you use for gaming with a controller</li> <li>Click to Do (Copilot+ PC only)</li> <li>External fingerprint reader support for Windows Hello ESS <br /> </br>-External/USB webcams supported by Windows Studio Effects (Copilot+ PC only)</li> <li>Quick Machine Recovery is the tip of a wave of new foundational features like Admin Protection, Smart App Control (updates), and more that go beyond surface-level look and feel</li> <li>Redesigned Start menu isn't perfect but it's a nice improvement</li> <li>Copilot Vision, though this type of thing may make more sense on phones</li> <li>AI features in Paint, Photos, Notepad, and Snipping Tool</li> <li>Natural language interactions like the agent in Settings, file search, and more (mostly Copilot+ PC only, but you can do this in Copilot as well)</li> <li>Bluetooth LE support for improved audio quality in game chat, voice calls</li> <li>Gaming on Windows 11 on Arm and Snapdragon X: Major steps forward, but the same issue as always</li> <li>Looking ahead to 2026: 26H1, Agentic features that work, potential Windows 12, and AI PCs</li></ul> <p>AI</p><ul> <li>An extensive new interview with Mustafa Suleyman confirms why this guy is special and how confusing it is that Copilot is so disrespected</li> <li>Microsoft Copilot is auto-installing on LG smart TVs and there's no way to remove it</li> <li>GPT-5.2 is OpenAI's answer to Gemini 3</li> <li>ChatGPT Images is OpenAI's answer to Nano Banana Pro</li> <li>Disney invests $1 billion OpenAI, sues Google</li> <li>Opera Neon is now generally available for $20 per month</li> <li>AI is moving quick as we all know but the bigger issue may be the incessant marketing about features like agents that don't even work now</li> <li>Microsoft is getting pushback on forced Copilot usage, price hikes</li> <li>Google is expanding its use of "experiments" outside of mainstream products with things like NotebookLM, Mixboard, CC, and much more. Maybe this is the better approach: Test separately and then integrate it into existing products</li> <li>Oddly enough, Microsoft does have a Windows AI Lab for this kind of experimentation</li> <li>Many small models vs. one big LLM in the cloud</li></ul> <p>Mobile</p><ul> <li><em>Fortnite </em>is back in the Google Play Store in the U.S. as Google plays nice</li> <li>Apple loses its contempt appeal, the end of "junk fees" (Apple Tax) is in sight</li></ul> <p>Xbox and gaming</p><ul> <li>Xbox December Update has one big update for the mobile app and one big update for Xbox Wireless Headphones</li> <li>There's a new Xbox Developer Direct coming in January</li> <li><em>Half-Life 3</em> may really be happening, but it will be a Steam Machine launch title so it could be a while</li></ul> <p>Tips & picks</p><ul> <li>Tip of the year: De-enshittify Windows 11</li> <li>App pick of the year: <em>Fortnite</em></li> <li>RunAs Radio this week: Zero Trust in 2026 with Michele Bustamante</li> <li>Brown liquor pick of the week: Lark Symphony No. 1</li></ul></p> <p>These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit <a href="https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/963">https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/963</a></p> <p><strong>Hosts:</strong> <a href="https://twit.tv/people/leo-laporte">Leo Laporte</a>, <a href="https://twit.tv/people/paul-thurrott">Paul Thurrott</a>, and <a href="https://twit.tv/people/richard-campbell">Richard Campbell</a></p> <p><strong>Sponsors:</strong><ul> <li><a href="https://auraframes.com/ink?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=windowsweeklytwit" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">auraframes.com/ink</a></li> <li><a href="http://framer.com/design" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">framer.com/design promo code WW</a></li> <li><a href="http://outsystems.com/twit" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">outsystems.com/twit</a></li> <li><a href="https://cachefly.com/twit" target="_blank" rel="sponsored">cachefly.com/twit</a></li> </ul></p>
Source: https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/963
Published: 2025-12-17 13:32:12