By Mary Jo Foley
Publication Date: 2026-04-10 19:31:00
For the past few years, it felt as if Microsoft’s Windows org was on autopilot. (No, not THAT Autopilot.) Microsoft leadership seemed content to let Windows run its course as long as people and partners continued to pay for it in some way.
The result: New features were underwhelming. Ads began popping up in the OS at every turn. Attempts to turn Windows into an “Agentic OS” were roundly hated. It hasn’t been a great time to be a Windows user.
But in the past few weeks, Windows seemingly got a new lease on life. Some think the new burst of Windows energy and ideas is directly attributable to Apple launching its relatively low-cost MacBook Neo. Others think the company’s plunging stock…
