Looking back at Microsoft's 2018, you may earn the argument that the company ended utilizing all-time high. Besides, it's the most valuable company in the field.

But our readers buy Microsoft products, not Microsoft stock. From that perspective (coupled with all due respect to Microsoft's enterprise business, which isn't percentage of what we cover you will come to PCWorld), Microsoft's record was conservative and somewhat underwhelming, by incorporating some exceptions. Microsoft added only one flourish or two to the existing Surface lineup, just like, and both feature updates to Windows 10 have developed into fairly inconsequential.

As we've tired recent years, we list the highlights, low points, company, "what the hell was that??!" moments, closing in what we think Microsoft should work on most for 2019.

WIN: Microsoft's conference room of the future

Everyone loves a killer tech demo, and Microsoft displayed a doozy at its Build conference: a gathering room of the future where Cortana could both hear to find out, identifying users because walked in. The demo exhibited not only Microsoft's AI technologies, in addition to its transcription and translation capabilities, along with power of its cloud services. Microsoft's vision may never happen, but let's hope it can do. This is exactly revoltions per minute rating forward-looking thinking we like to to see.

FAIL: Windows 10 S

In March, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore proceeded record claiming that Microsoft "expect[s] vast majority of customers to enjoy" Windows 10 in S Mode in 2019. That could perhaps still happen, but whew!-right now, it appears as though a major overstatement on Microsoft's part.

As fair, Windows 10 S has two redeeming features: One, it enables demonstrably longer battery lifespan within laptops that used Qualcomm processors; as well as two, it forces the usage Microsoft Edge, with finally developed into a decent browser.

Here's the drawback: The Venn diagram merging men and women who use Edge and who also use a Qualcomm-based PC probably amounts to a small fraction of you base. Everyone else just sees Microsoft hoping to force a locked-down OS upon them.

WTF: Microsoft's consumer conundrum continues

Is Microsoft still a buyer company? Microsoft's decision to take part in Movies Anywhere, its talk of extending Game Pass to Computer games, and numerous initiatives within its Xbox console division (from buying up major studios to Video games to the Xbox Adaptive Controller with Gold and Game Pass) says the provider still is. The demises of Windows phones, Groove Music, and (possibly?) Cortana suggest it isn't.

We simply wish stopping a consumer advocate around the company, to ensure that people using Windows will be assured acquiring a PC-centric games store enhance the Xbox marketplace. Nobody knows from year upon year what Microsoft's stance may be, sowing uncertainty.
WIN: The Xbox Adaptive Controller

There's one consumer area where Microsoft has delivered consistently. Year in and year out, Microsoft champions men and women who don't use its products in ordinary ways, and fashoins extraordinary method of allowing people access. The PC boasts technologies from eye tracking to Windows' Narrator. The Xbox has lacked something similar-until the Xbox Adaptive Controller debuted.

Boasting two large touchpads that make gaming easier regarding with limited mobility, the controller also boasts several input jacks to adapt the gaming experience for particular needs. The Adaptive Controller is certainly an exemplary product, and ought to have praise.
FAIL: Microsoft ends free Windows 10 upgrade

In January, the "assistive loophole" closed, ending a lot more opportunity to upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 at zero cost. Now, you're forced to pay $139 for Windows 10 Home, and regularly more for standalone media. Each of us see where Microsoft's based on, we would have selected a different path. Microsoft are worthy of taken steps to avoid new Windows 8 licenses from being marketed, and continued to charge mothers and fathers Windows 10 licenses. Nevertheless in our view, select one always be at liberty to upgrade from Windows 8, or just Windows 7.

WIN: Windows 10 DirectX ray tracing is magic

Recent years, PCs have modeled down to earth by simulating textures painted onto 3D polygons-enough to out a reasonably convincing simulacrum of a alien planet, write off a bit off. Microsoft, alongside Nvidia's RTX hardware, unveiled an alternative version of DirectX which ray tracing-actually modelling photons due to the fact fly during the entire air. It's essentially true photorealism: expensive, computationally intensive, and utterly jaw-dropping. PC graphics changed forever this season, and Microsoft enabled the shift.

FAIL: Windows 10 April and October 2018 Updates

Both of Microsoft's Windows 10 feature updates for 2018 felt underwhelming from the get-go, without the customary introductory hoopla that has got accompanied past releases. Consider our Windows 10 April 2018 Update review: Timeline and Near Sharing were the marquee features, though I doubt either gets much love from users. (Make the most of the notification-blocking Focus Assist pretty frequently, though.)

Alternatives Windows 10 October 2018 Update-oy, the less said, the greater. A step down with the April 2018 Update, Cloud Clipboard along with Your Phone app were its neatest tricks. On the other hand October Update will forever be renowned for being pulled after it was eventually found to delete data, thereafter later reissued in November. Microsoft scarcely promoted certainly one its key victories: polishing Edge as a decent browser.
WTF: Edge's shift to Chromium

But in the event that Edge has finally succeeded, noone cares. At the start of 2017, Microsoft's built-in Edge browser held 3.32 percent market share, according to Net Applications. By November 2018, it had reached 4.22 percent.

Little did damage that soon after we were blessing Edge getting a positive recommendation we would be writing which a future version of Edge will be built on Chrome. Microsoft seems to believe that users will prefer an Edge-flavored sort of Chrome. Will users buy it? We're doubtful. In either case, it's a puzzling shift, and essentially concedes the browser crown to Google.

WIN: Office 2019 as well as triumph of subscriptions

A victory for Microsoft, a reduction for you: After the standalone Office 2019 debuted the year 2010, you could just feel Microsoft's low enthusiasm. Once noted in the past in 2017, Microsoft doesn't i would love you to buy Office 2019. Instead, this company wants consumers to pay and pay and pay money for Office 365, in a subscription that renews every succeeding year.

Office 2019 is therefore a slice soon enough, while Office 365 will continue to add features every 4 weeks. In Microsoft's defense, that's a superbly valid model, as well as company highlights the most recent features going without shoes continually adds. Nevertheless can't help but feel a bit more used by Office-as-a-service, too.

FAIL: Cortana stumbles, fades towards background

Remember just 24 months ago (!!) at which we were surprised to observe Google Assistant emerge as something more than just a few notification cards? Today, Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant vie for dominance, while Cortana has always been relatively static (and Siri's just an afterthought).

Regarding Cortana? Besides the Harman/Kardon Invoke smart speaker-which was being dumped for $50 on Black Friday-and a thermostat from Johnson Controls, Cortana never really established itself from your home nor the motor car. Cortana's integration of Amazon Alexa, while offers, could also be seen capitulation. Meanwhile, Cortana chief Javier Soltero, who spoke well of Cortana as well as the future within various apps, will quickly depart the seller.

Cortana's a bit of a mystery-not quite dead, but without as much pride of said once enjoyed within Windows. I still play with it frequently, particularly many Cortana in actual fact nonexistent.