➀ Microsoft has confirmed that it will not relax the hardware requirements for Windows 11; ➁ The strict hardware requirements, including TPM 2.0, exclude older machines; ➂ Windows 10's market share remains high, and support ends in October 2025, posing security risks and hardware disposal issues.
Recent #Microsoft news in the semiconductor industry
➀ Despite Microsoft's push to move Windows 10 users to Windows 11, the new OS is losing market share to its predecessor. ➁ Windows 10's market share has slightly increased while Windows 11's has decreased. ➃ Many Windows 10 devices may not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11, potentially leading to 240 million PCs becoming obsolete.
➀ Microsoft has clarified that it is not training AI on user's Word and Excel data; ➁ The confusion arose from social media posts claiming Microsoft was scraping user data; ➂ Microsoft emphasizes that the optional setting for data sharing has been on by default since 2019, and users can adjust their settings at any time.
➀ Microsoft is accused of scraping user-generated content from Word and Excel to train its AI models; ➁ The 'Connected Experiences' feature is enabled by default and requires specific settings to opt-out; ➂ Microsoft denies using customer data for AI training, stating the feature is for internet-required functions like document co-authoring.
➀ Microsoft temporarily halts the Windows 11 24H2 update on PCs with select Ubisoft games; ➁ The issue is causing frequent freezing and black screen glitches in modern Assassin's Creed, Star Wars, and Avatar titles; ➂ Users are advised to avoid manual updates and wait for a fix from Microsoft and Ubisoft.
➀ Microsoft has released its controversial Windows 11 Recall feature in preview for Copilot+ PC owners; ➁ The feature is intended to help users 'recall' what they say on their screens by searching locally saved and analyzed snapshots of their desktop; ➂ Recall has faced criticism for security and privacy concerns, leading to its delayed release.
➀ Windows 11's Photos app has recently introduced two new features, Super Resolution and OCR, but OCR has been temporarily removed due to issues. ➁ Super Resolution, an AI-powered feature, also encountered problems when deployed on non-Copilot+ PCs. ➃ Microsoft plans to reintroduce OCR in a future update.
➀ Microsoft has added more server capacity to improve player accessibility in MSFS 2024, but the access issues persist; ➁ The troubled launch has led to many players being unable to play the game or even install it; ➂ Microsoft acknowledges the problem but has not provided a roadmap for when full functionality will be restored.
➀ Microsoft showcased the Azure HBv5 at SC24, featuring the AMD MI300C chip; ➁ The MI300C combines Zen 4 cores with HBM3 memory, offering significant performance gains over Intel's Xeon MAX 9480; ➂ The system is designed for HPC workloads and utilizes a 4-socket design.
➀ Microsoft is set to release the Windows 365 Link in 2025; ➁ The device is designed for businesses using Windows 365, offering a secure and efficient Cloud PC experience; ➂ It features dual 4K monitor support, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and is environmentally friendly.
➀ Samsung is developing customized HBM4 memory solutions for Meta and Microsoft; ➁ Mass production is expected by the end of 2025; ➂ The new HBM4 memory will offer 2TB/sec bandwidth and up to 48GB capacities.
➀ Microsoft might be rebranding its AI suite from 'Copilot' to 'Windows Intelligence'; ➁ The change is suggested by a template file reference; ➂ The move could be a direct copy of Apple's branding strategy with 'Apple Intelligence'.
➀ Microsoft is notifying Mail and Calendar app users to switch to free web-based Outlook; ➁ The app will stop working after December 31, 2024; ➂ Users are encouraged to migrate by the end of 2024 for seamless transition.
➀ Windows 11 24H2 is causing apps like Microsoft Office to hang or crash; ➁ The issue is linked to policy settings involving the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor; ➂ CrowdStrike has confirmed the issue is Windows-related and not related to its software.
➀ Windows 11 is slowly gaining market share from Windows 10 ahead of the official support cutoff next year; ➁ Users are not upgrading to Windows 11 as expected, leaving Windows 10 machines vulnerable to security breaches; ➂ Microsoft offers a $30 one-year extension for Windows 10 updates, but millions of machines may be rendered obsolete.
➀ Microsoft is experimenting with cross-laminated timber (CLT) for new data centers in Northern Virginia to reduce its carbon footprint. ➁ The company estimates that using wood in its data centers will cut its carbon footprint by 35% compared to steel construction. ➂ Greenhouse emissions are reduced by 65% when CLT replaces precast concrete.
➀ Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 achieved record-breaking sales; ➁ The launch accounted for 19% of Comcast's total weekly internet traffic; ➂ The game set a record for new Xbox Game Pass subscribers.
➀ Microsoft's new AI-powered super resolution feature for Windows 11 Photos app faced issues during rollout; ➁ Initially appeared on unsupported devices; ➂ Now failing to come to Copilot+ PCs that should have it.
➀ Meta has been indexing the web for at least eight months to develop its own search engine for integration into Meta AI; ➁ The search engine aims to provide an alternative to Google Search and Microsoft Bing; ➂ Meta is using web crawlers for AI search and has partnered with Reuters for content sourcing.
➀ HP's servers are experiencing a surge in sales due to the adoption of NVIDIA's 'world's strongest AI chip', the GB200;
➁ Major cloud service providers like Microsoft and Meta are actively introducing GB200 and expanding their purchases of the higher-end NVL72 cabinets;
➂ Foxconn, as the exclusive supplier of GB200 and NVL72 cabinets, is seeing a flood of orders and a significant boost in server business.