Windows

• Microsoft quietly extends the Windows 10 Extended Security Update program one year to October 2027 for consumers

Windows Insider

• Windows Update is transitioning to the new Windows Insider experience by default
• Plus, five new builds across Beta, Experimental, Beta (26H1), Experimental (26H1), and Experimental (Future Platforms) — new Taskbar size setting is the much-needed new feature

Hardware

• Apple raises prices on Macs, iPads, and more, easing pressure on PC makers
• Microsoft quietly begins selling 8 GB Surface Pro/Laptop models
• Microsoft reportedly kills Surface Go products right when we need them the most
• The ASUS Zenbook A16 is nearly perfect, but it's unclear what you get with an X2 Elite Extreme chip

AI

• HP partners with OpenAI for its agentic makeover
• Anthropic seizes on the "good enough" AI movement with Sonnet 5
• Proton Lumo 2.0 is here
• Gemini personalized image creator is available for free in the US
• Notion blames agentic AI for it killing Notion Mail

Xbox and Gaming
The 2026 Doom and Gloom Watch

• Xbox Series X|S prices to go up again, by $150, on August 1 - and the 2 TB X is going away
• Undead Labs and Arkane Lyon possible victims of pending closures
• Latest rumor: Microsoft to layoff 2.5 percent of workforce next week - that's 5,500 people, less than expected, but that's because of the earlier voluntary buyouts, which apparently met internal expectations
• Minecraft Bedrock edition gets closed captions
• Sony will stop selling PS physical media in 2028

Tips and Picks

• Tip of the week: Help or get out of the way
• People who just complain aren't solving problems, they're just making noise and distracting us from the real problems.

App Pick of the Week: Snapdragon Control Panel

• If you have a Windows 11 on Arm PC on Snapdragon X or X2, you need this app to make games run as well as possible.
• Plus - Settings > System > Display > Graphics for Auto SR and other settings and whatever is in each game

RunAs Radio this week: AI-Accelerated Supply Chain Attacks with Mackenzie Duncan

Brown liquor pick of the week: Rupert's Exceptional Canadian Whisky

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

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Windows 12 is stalled and the real reasons go far beyond software. The conversation unpacks how soaring hardware prices, AI chaos, and market confusion have Microsoft in a holding pattern. Also, Paul finally took a sledgehammer to the subscription services he pays for, and more is on the way. Plus, one of Paul's favorite Markdown editors supports authorship on Windows now and an integrated Search/Outline view on Mac, iPad, and iPad.

Windows

• Week D is here with a preview of July's Patch Tuesday
• Point-in-time restore is now generally available in Windows 11, sort of
• Quieter widgets, which is nice! Plus, Screen tint, Windows Update improvements, more
• Tied to this, sort of, something wonderful is happening to the Windows 11 Field Guide
• Five new builds, plus some 26H2 news (and still no news about what 26H1 becomes, see below...)
• Mostly minor fit-and-finish improvements
• So... what about Windows 12? The history is interesting, and Copilot+ PC was what Paul originally thought Windows 12 would be. But now we're talking agentic capabilities that will handle local/cloud/hybrid orchestration per last week's discussion, and maybe that will be it.
• We knew that Surface Laptop and Surface Pro would come in 8 GB configurations. But they're available now with just 256 GB of storage and the prices are $950 and $850 and up, respectively. Plus all the usual Surface limitations, like one color choice. (16 GB is $1150 and $1050, respectively, so $300 more.)
• Once again, it's time to just get a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x for $850. It has 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage and is awesome.
• Tim Cook just admitted that Apple will raise hardware prices because of the component crisis. If this is hitting Apple hard, the rest of the industry is screwed.

AI

• Cory Doctorow's new book is out and let's just say his new neologism isn't as catchy as enshittification
• Reverse centaur (groan)
• Surprisingly centrist view on the pros and cons of AI
• Highlights the Microsoft financial shenanigans I point out every quarter: Microsoft "invests" $10 billion of "tokens" in OpenAI, but there's no volume discount and Microsoft books the transaction as $10 billion in AI revenues as OpenAI simply uses its infrastructure. It gave $10 billion to OpenAI so that it could spend $10 billion on Azure.
• Google Home Speaker is the Gemini speaker and it's now shipping to first customers as Google discontinues Nest Audio and Nest Mini speakers. Can we trust this company with hardware? And why are there no Apple or Google home theater setups?
• Adobe brings its creative agent to Firefly and the biggest apps in Creative Cloud

XBOX & gaming

• No movement yet on the massive changes we expect in XBOX soon
• Microsoft has "dozens" of gaming IP-based movies and TV shows in the works
• XBOX Insiders can now test updates to Gamertags, Game Hub, and Wish List
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 are being ported to modern PS consoles. Sadly, not remakes or remasters.
• GTA VI will cost $79.99 and up - Arrives in November, can preorder on June 25
• Steam Machine to cost $1049 and up, and that's with no controller

Tips & picks

• Tip of the week: How to save $100 a month
• App pick of the week: iA Writer
• RunAs Radio this week: Securing Developers with Tanya Janca
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Glen Breton Rare 10

These show notes have been truncated due to length. For the full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly/episodes/989

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

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With major leadership shakeups and rumors of studio closures, the future of XBOX inside Microsoft suddenly looks uncertain. Is this the beginning of a Game Pass overhaul, or could XBOX face an outright split from the company? Plus, PowerToys 0.100 (yes, point one hundred) arrives with so many improvements. And the Windows Insider program is leaving even seasoned users scratching their heads over Microsoft's so-called "simplification."

Windows

• Windows Insider Program: Microsoft releases a record 7 builds to the allegedly simpler Insider Program
• You can't tell the players without a program
• Experimental: Less disruptive Windows Update, Windows Search improvements
• Beta 26H1: Screen tint
• Beta 25H2: Screen tint, quieter Widgets, Magnifier zoom controls
• Release Preview 25H2: Screen tint, quieter Widgets, Magnifier zoom controls, Bluetooth connectivity improvements
• All (?) get Voice access and Voice typing improvements, and new right-click Touchpad settings
• Good God, Microsoft

Hardware

• Microsoft announces Snapdragon X2-based Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Laptop 13 and the prices are eye-watering
• Samsung announces Snapdragon X2-based Galaxy Book6 Edge and, yes, the prices are eye-watering
• The component crisis is a disaster but limitations are driving innovation, as they always have
• Google releases Android 17 alongside a new Pixel Drop, setting the stage for Googlebooks

Software

• Microsoft Edge to follow Chrome to a two-week development schedule because we all love updating our web browsers
• Mozilla releases Firefox 152 and a new roadmap for the browser

AI

• FINALLY AN AI-FREE WEEK

XBOX and gaming

• Fear & loathing at XBOX! The Microsoft fiscal year ends in two weeks, and big changes are coming
• XBOX leadership set to reveal "hard truths" that will absolutely include layoffs and studio and game closures
• Microsoft is looking at all options for XBOX, including a spin-off
• XBOX Studios CEO and chief of staff announce their departures ahead of expected layoffs
• XBOX reportedly closing Ninja Theory, makers of the Hellblade games
• Compulsion Games is likely on the chopping block too
• XBOX is coming to Gamescon this year
• Xbox June Update arrives with new boot animation, more while Microsoft continues testing minor UX changes in the Insider Program
• COD: Vanguard, EA Sports FC 26 and more coming to Game Pass in the second half of June
• Rockstar Games is giving free GTA V upgrades to Xbox One and PS4 players

Tips and picks

• Tip of the week: Don't doomscroll, learnscroll instead
• App pick of the week: PowerToys 0.100
• RunAs Radio this week: 47 Day Certificates with Todd Gardner
• Brown liquor pick of the week: Thornæs Kagerup

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paul Thurrott, and Richard Campbell

Download or subscribe to Windows Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/windows-weekly

Check out Paul's blog at thurrott.com

The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Carl Franklin.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!
Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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