(Credit: Jeffrey Hazelwood/PCMag; Microsoft)
Microsoft says it’s building Copilot as a new OS, but don't worry, it's not replacing Windows...yet. Although Copilot might indeed serve as the framework for the company's AI-centric visions, I think this announcement is likely to create far more confusion among the more than one billion current Windows users than Microsoft intended.
Meanwhile, the company continues to shift away from its controversial Copilot+ PC branding with the latest Surface announcement. And, in another big change, it's shutting down Publisher after 35 years, an app I know many people still love and use today.
Read on for a look at why Microsoft is saying Copilot is an OS, the shift away from Copilot+ PCs, and the fate of Publisher.
What's Really Going On With Copilot?
Fresh upon the launch of a redesigned Copilot app, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Microsoft is “building Copilot as a new OS for work.” I'm having some trouble figuring out what exactly he means by this. It could merely be a way to lean into some common Silicon Valley jargon, much in the way that Slack pitches itself as a “work operating system.” Or it could indicate that Microsoft is preparing for a post-Windows world.
I don't necessarily expect the previously leaked Copilot OS prototype to fully replace Windows in the near future, but I think it's feasible that Copilot could eventually be the basis for some sort of AI-powered, cross-platform work and device solution. Whatever the plan is, the absence of any mention of Windows in this announcement is notable.
Microsoft once seemed really excited about AI in Windows, but now it's scaling back those initiatives, focusing instead on changes that make the OS better for developers and power users. The company might still try to make Copilot into a useful assistant that competes with Apple's AI-powered Siri, but I'm less certain about that after Nadella's latest comments. Above all else, Microsoft needs to be far more up-front about communicating its AI plans, or risk another multi-year walk-back; it can start a new chapter on the right foot at its upcoming Oct. 7 event.
Copilot+ PCs Are Officially Dead
To the surprise of perhaps no one, Microsoft is abandoning the Copilot+ PC branding. Brett Ostrum, corporate vice president of Surface products, said the company’s new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices aren’t Copilot+ PCs, despite meeting the prior system requirements and having all of the once-exclusive features. Microsoft also avoided branding the Nvidia RTX Spark-powered Surface Laptop Ultra a Copilot+ PC at Build earlier this year.
I'm not shocked that the company is moving away from this lineup, especially given the controversy around the Recall feature and the generally lackluster AI features. This shift comes along with the gradual paring back of Copilot features in Windows. For example, you can now remap the Copilot key, and Notepad no longer has a Copilot button. If Copilot and Windows are a little more separate going forward, that's probably good news for Windows users.
Unfortunately, It's Time to Move on From Publisher
Microsoft is ending support for the beloved Publisher in October. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you lose access on Oct. 1. If you have a non-subscription version of the app, such as Publisher 2021, you have more flexibility. You can technically still use it after support ends on Oct. 13, but Microsoft won't release security updates for it, so I don't recommend it.
The company recommends PowerPoint and Word as options for “many common Publisher scenarios,” but you might be better off with a third-party alternative.
Ask Our Expert: Is Windows 11's Store App Improving?
Do you have a question about Windows? I’m here to share my knowledge! You can submit your question here, and I may answer it in an upcoming Windows Guide newsletter. If you’re not subscribed to the newsletter, head here to sign up, and check your inbox each week for the latest Windows updates from me. Now, on to this week’s question!
Keith Z. asks: “How well is Windows 11’s Store app working out for Microsoft? Is it getting better and achieving Microsoft’s goals? Or is it just another buggy, complex Windows feature?”
Hi Keith, thanks for asking this! The Microsoft Store app is more useful than when it launched 14 years ago alongside Windows 8, but it still has some shortcomings.
On the one hand, you can install Adobe Photoshop, Mozilla Firefox, Spotify, and many other popular desktop apps from it. But on the other hand, major developers have yet to add their apps to the catalog. You can't download Google Chrome or Steam, for example, and it also lacks several smaller utilities. As a result, most people will still need to download common programs from the web.
App selection aside, the Microsoft Store feels stable in my experience, and I haven’t encountered any significant bugs.
If you're looking for alternatives, I recommend UniGetUI. It’s a centralized software installer that includes nearly every Windows app you can imagine. It relies on Microsoft’s WinGet package manager, which is otherwise only available via the command line.
About Our Expert
I've been writing about technology for more than 15 years and using it in earnest for over twice as long. As a member of PCMag's software team, I focus on Windows coverage, but also write about other key desktop operating systems and system apps. (I used Windows 3.1 upon its release and have followed every subsequent release closely).
Prior to joining PCMag, I wrote for How-To Geek starting in 2011, and my articles amassed over a billion page views. I went on to run the publication as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. I have also contributed to Computerworld, Fast Company, PCWorld, Reader's Digest, The New York Times, and many other outlets about everything from AI to PC hardware to Windows. I founded and ran my own direct-to-reader Windows-focused newsletters, Windows Intelligence and The Windows ReadMe, working in partnership with Thurrott.com.
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