Windows 10's Innovative Sets Tabs Won't Ship With Fall Redstone 5 Update
Microsoft is not going to implement the ability to have tabs in various windows, a feature known as Sets, into its Redstone 5 update for Windows 10 later this fall. The innovative feature drew a lot of support from users and would have been one of the standout highlights of Redstone 5. However, Microsoft has decided the feature needs more polish and has removed Sets from test builds leading up to Redstone 5's release.
"Thank you for your continued support of testing Sets. We continue to receive valuable feedback from you as we develop this feature helping to ensure we deliver the best possible experience once it’s ready for release. Starting with this build, we’re taking Sets offline to continue making it great. Based on your feedback, some of the things we’re focusing on include improvements to the visual design and continuing to better integrate Office and Microsoft Edge into Sets to enhance workflow," Microsoft stated in a blog post.
Tabbed browsing significantly improved the way we surf the web and is now a mainstream feature that comes standard in every modern browser, including Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Safari. Microsoft's Sets feature applied the same general concept to Windows 10, making it easier for users to manage their desktop. For example, a user could be writing a paper in Word and open a new tab within the same window to look up information on the web, be it a YouTube video, a listing on Amazon, and so forth.
There is a lot of utility for something like this, and eventually Sets will find its way to Windows 10. Exactly when, however, is not known—this is the second time that Microsoft has previewed Sets to Windows Insiders, and then pull it ahead of a major update.
While Sets is not bound for Redstone 5, there are other upgrades in the works, including design improvements to Edge based on Microsoft's Fluent Design philosophy, and a major update to Skype for Windows. Microsoft is also making some privacy changes specific to the diagnostic data viewer.
"At Microsoft, we understand that your data is your data. That’s why we are committed to providing full transparency on what diagnostic data Windows collects, when it is collected, and how you can control what you share. We care about your privacy and helping you build trust and confidence in our products," Microsoft said.
Other improvements coming to Redstone 5 include a new viewing mode for videos that uses the light sensor on users' devices to detect ambient lighting, a typing insights feature that leverages AI to help users type more efficiently, the ability for non-admin users to install fonts, and a host of bug fixes.
Microsoft's aim is to deliver two major upgrades to Windows 10 each year. The first of those for 2018 came out at the end of April, and we suspect Redstone 5 will arrive in or around October.
