Microsoft today held its annual Build developers conference where it announced that Windows Timeline is coming to the iOS Edge Browser app later this year. Timeline debuted in the latest Windows 10 update, allowing users to access a list of previously used apps and browser windows across their devices.

When it debuts in Edge on iOS, users on Windows 10 PCs who own iPhones will be able to more easily keep up their workflows when moving between devices. Microsoft first announced Timeline at last year's Build conference, when it also detailed some initial iOS linking features.

hololens iphone x

Mixed-reality annotations from Microsoft HoloLens on iPhone X

Microsoft then touched on its mixed-reality ambitions with the HoloLens headset, showing off multiple scenarios where enterprises can use HoloLens to accomplish tasks across distances with Microsoft Remote Assist. In one video, a woman asks for help using the HoloLens, and then a man annotates onto her field of vision using his iPhone X.

In another video, a man uses a feature called Layout to carefully design a safe space for heavy industrial equipment before an error is made with the physical installation. Remote Assist and Layout will launch May 22.


The company also announced an update for Visual Studio for Mac, which includes several new features along with the usual bug fixes and performance improvements. The app is gaining new editors for Razor, JavaScript, and TypeScript for building web projects as well as updated UI and templates for building serverless solutions with Azure Functions and .NET Core. Additional updates include:

- .NET Standard Library projects are now a fully supported option for sharing code between platforms when building Xamarin.Forms solutions.

- Preview support for Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) in Team Foundation Server (TFS) and Visual Studio Team Services (VSTS) has arrived addressing one of our top UserVoice requests. Developers now have the option to use the existing Git source control integration or the new TFVC integration to manage their code.

For Android users, there will be a new unified "Your Phone" experience that links a PC to an Android smartphone, so users can get "instant access" to texts, photos, and notifications while on their desktop computer. In its press release, Microsoft said: "Imagine being able to quickly drag and drop your phone’s photos into a document on your PC in one swift movement — without having to take your phone out of your pocket." Those in the Windows Insider Program will gain access to this feature sometime soon.

Microsoft also revealed a new Project Ink Analysis service that will let developers add support for handwriting and other shape recognition to apps on Windows "and other platforms." The company announced this alongside a new unified speech services API for its four speech-related AI tools: speech recognition, text-to-speech API, customized voice models, and translation.

Other announcements include an AI for Accessibility program to accelerate the development of AI solutions for people with disabilities, the continuation of Kinect as Project Kinect for Azure, the Azure Blockchain Workbench, Project Brainwave, Microsoft Excel updates, and more.

Overall, Microsoft said that more than 700 million devices now run Windows 10, up from 500 million one year ago. Office 365 has 135 million active monthly commercial users, up from 120 million last October.

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17

Warning: Update Your iPhone 15 to iOS 17.0.2 Before Transferring Data From Another iPhone

Friday September 22, 2023 6:36 am PDT by
If you are unboxing an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max today, make sure to update the device to iOS 17.0.2 before transferring data to the device from another iPhone, or else you might encounter issues. iOS 17.0.2 is only available for the iPhone 15 lineup. Apple says the update fixes an issue that may prevent transferring data directly from another iPhone...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 With Bug Fixes, Plus iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 Models

Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 double tap gesture 230912

watchOS 10.1 to Enable Apple Watch's New 'Double Tap' Gesture

Thursday September 21, 2023 12:52 pm PDT by
The new Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be enabled starting with watchOS 10.1, according to Marques Brownlee, host of the popular tech-focused YouTube channel MKBHD. The first beta of watchOS 10.1 will likely be available by next week, and Apple announced that the software update will be released next month. Brownlee shared his impressions...