14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft’s Windows 10X operating system for dual-screen and foldable devices will feature not one, but two different file managers.
This is because this OS will support both UWP apps (published in the Microsoft Store) and Win32 programs that will be launched in containers, so Microsoft decided to implement two file managers for each category of apps.
What this means is that you’ll see a different file manager depending on the apps you work with.
One OS, two file managers
For example, if you’re running an UWP app and want to save a file to the local storage, the interface that you should see is the one of a modern File Explorer – the one that we’ve actually seen before in testing and which Microsoft seems to be ready to release as part of Windows 10X. This new version of File Explorer is optimized for the touch and comes with the basic feature package, including light and dark themes.
On the other hand, if you’re using a Win32 program running in a container and also want to save a file, then the file manager that you’re provided with is the classic File Explorer that’s already bundled with Windows 10. This makes sense given the Win32 version of File Explorer too has been improved lately, and now features a dark mode as well.
While at first glance this might sound like a very complicated approach, it’s the only way to go given the types of apps that are supported by Windows 10X. Building just one file manager that would be able to take care of both sides of the OS is more difficult and takes more time, so sticking with a more simplified approach makes more sense not only for Microsoft, but also for users.
Windows 10X will power Microsoft’s very own Surface Neo, as well as a series of other devices built by partners like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others.