companion apps

Microsoft has started silently adding a new Microsoft 365 “Companion” app suite to Windows 11 devices that already run Microsoft 365 desktop apps, installing taskbar‑centric mini‑windows (People, Files/File Search, and Calendar) and configuring them to autostart — a rollout Microsoft set to...

Microsoft’s latest background push — automatically installing Microsoft 365 “Companion” apps onto Windows 11 machines that already run Office desktop clients — landed this week as a small but consequential escalation in the company’s strategy to make AI-first productivity features default on...

Microsoft’s plan to push new Microsoft 365 Companion apps onto Windows 11 machines without an explicit opt‑in has ignited fresh criticism from users and IT pros, rekindling debates over bloatware, device control, and Microsoft’s widening AI-first strategy. Starting in late October 2025...

Microsoft is preparing to automatically install three new Microsoft 365 “companion” apps — People, Files, and Calendar — onto Windows 11 devices that already have Microsoft 365 desktop apps, and those apps will be configured to launch at device startup unless administrators or users change...

Microsoft’s latest back‑to‑school play hands eligible U.S. college students a full, 12‑month Microsoft 365 Personal subscription — including the integrated Copilot AI assistant and 1 TB of OneDrive storage — at no charge, a time‑limited promotional move that accelerates AI exposure on campus...

Microsoft’s decision to place three new Microsoft 365 “companion” apps — People, File Search, and Calendar — directly into the Windows 11 taskbar is a clear bet on shaving everyday friction from the workday, but it also raises immediate questions about duplication, manageability, and enterprise...

Microsoft is quietly shipping three compact Microsoft 365 “companion” apps — Calendar, File Search, and People — that live in the Windows 11 taskbar to give knowledge workers one‑click access to meetings, documents, and colleagues without opening full Office or Teams windows. et previewed the...

Microsoft has quietly begun embedding three new Microsoft 365 “companion” apps into the Windows 11 taskbar — Calendar, File Search, and People — small, focused helpers designed to pull calendar events, corporate files, and contact details one click away from the desktop and reduce time lost to...

Microsoft is quietly reshaping the Windows 11 taskbar into a mini‑workspace: a new suite of lightweight Microsoft 365 “companion” apps — People, File Search, and Calendar — is rolling out for business customers and will install automatically on eligible Windows 11 devices that already have...

Microsoft has quietly begun planting tiny, purpose-built Microsoft 365 “companion” apps directly into the Windows 11 taskbar — compact People, File Search, and Calendar helpers that promise to shave dozens of small context switches out of the modern knowledge worker’s day. These mini‑apps are...

Microsoft has begun deploying a new set of lightweight Microsoft 365 “companion” apps that live in the Windows 11 taskbar — offering instant access to people, files, and calendar items without launching full Office or Teams windows — and the release raises both productivity promises and...

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) companion applications have evolved from rudimentary chatbots to sophisticated entities capable of engaging users in deeply personal and emotionally charged conversations. While these advancements offer potential benefits, such as alleviating...