Project NEON to introduce several design improvements

Jan 6, 2017 06:49 GMT  ·  By

​Microsoft is working on a set of visual improvements for Windows 10 in the upcoming updates that are part of what’s internally codenamed Project NEON and believed to be due in the fall of 2017 with Windows 10 Redstone 3.

MSPU writes that Project NEON is not necessarily a dramatic overhaul of the existing Windows 10 user interface, but it does bring certain improvements that are based on “animations, simplicity, and consistency,” using some elements from the super-popular Windows 7 Aero Glass effects.

A new component codenamed “Acrylic” will be the star of the show, as it’ll bring blur in the background, mostly on the sidebar or navigation menu of each app. Developers will obviously be allowed to add the same visual effects to their universal apps, but Microsoft will pioneer them with its own apps, such as Groove Music.

All-in on design consistency

What Microsoft is trying to do with Project Neon is create more consistency across the entire operating system, a thing that the company actually failed to achieve with the original version of Windows 10, which came with different context menus and user interface components in various parts of the OS.

Project Neon is still in its early days at Microsoft and there’s no chance to get it in the coming months, but rather in the fall when the company introduces the third Redstone update for Windows 10. Although work is already under way at Microsoft, the firm still needs to refine the improved user interface and a lot could change before the debut in public Windows takes place.

Windows 10 Redstone 3 is projected to launch in the fall of 2017 and this will be the moment when Microsoft will introduce its first apps using the design improvements that are part of Project Neon. That will also be the point when developers will be allowed to create apps with the new user interface, so the updates won’t happen overnight.

The upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update due in April won’t bring too many changes in terms of user interface, but rather feature improvements and refinements to the performance of the operating system.

Mail concept built as part of Project Neon
Mail concept built as part of Project Neon

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What Groove Music could look like with the new blur background
Mail concept built as part of Project Neon
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