Windows 11 version 22H2 was released to consumers in September and the first feature drop codenamed “Moment 1” began rolling out in October with an updated UI for taskbar overflow, tabs in File Explorer, suggested actions, and several other improvements, including a new Photos app .
Microsoft won’t talk about future feature updates, but we know that the tech giant is working on the “Moment 2” update for Windows 11 version 22H2, which will be released between January and March. Like Moment 1, the second Moment update should also enable new features in version 22H2.
Microsoft isn’t really committed to a specific feature loss schedule, and there’s a chance we’ll see more “Moment” updates in the future. In fact, references in the preview builds seem to indicate that “Moment 3” capabilities cannot be ruled out, at least for now.
In the preview builds there are: references to a new speed feature called “MTestUx14”, which could refer to Moment 3. Microsoft uses “MTestUx13” for Moment 2, so there’s a possibility that the jump in the ID number represents another Moment update, probably “Moment 3 ”.
Of course, it’s too early to say what’s coming with Windows 11 Moment 3. As for the release date, don’t expect it before summer.
Windows 11 23H2 is still on the cards
According to sources familiar with the development, Microsoft has moved to a new engineering scheme. Under the new schedule, Windows has returned to a three-year development cycle for the major versions of the operating system. In other words, there will be no major upgrade for Windows 11 until the next OS release, which would be Windows 12.
Previously, reports suggested that Microsoft has canceled Windows 11 version 23H2 to focus on minor feature drops and Windows 12. However, we understand that Windows 11 will now get “version 23H2” but it will not be a new version of the operating system.
In other words, it could be similar to the activation pack-based “feature updates” Windows 10 got. Of course, Windows 11 23H2 will still come with plenty of big and small improvements. For example, it will include features from the active development channel, as well as some new unknown features.
Microsoft is also targeting a 2024 release for a major new version of Windows 11 or a new product (Windows 12?).
If you really care about new features, you’ll like Microsoft’s new approach because it means more features and improvements, but less major changes.
