Oh, 2024. The year that had Microsoft riding a technicolor wave of triumphs, pitfalls, and some truly head-scratching moments. If it wasn’t the turbulent push for AI integration everywhere, it was the growing pains of Windows on Arm or the buzzkill that was Microsoft Recall. Let’s unpack the highlights—no Copilot-rewritten emails required.
Why This Matters: Until now, Arm-based Windows machines were cursed with limited software compatibility, eating dust behind x86 counterparts (Intel and AMD-powered systems). But this leap forward suggests a turning point. With companies like NVIDIA rumored to enter the Arm-chip arms race, Windows on Arm could mature into a productivity platform that competes head-to-head with x86 while offering increased energy efficiency.
Sure, printing to older hardware like your ancient Brother printer might still require an x86 laptop. But the days of Arm devices feeling like experimental prototypes are seemingly behind us. With a polished Surface Laptop as the daily driver for many, Microsoft looks poised to make long-term gains in this arena.
This model succeeded in expanding on the 9th edition (5G version) by handling mainstream apps more fluently. It solidified the message: Windows tablets can still pack a competitive punch in niche spaces.
Key Takeaway: Unlike the broad, misguided strokes of Copilot (don’t worry, we’ll get there), these implementations of AI in Paint, Photos, and Clipchamp showed restraint. They turned everyday creative tasks into seamless, AI-assisted experiences without trying to overreach.
In fairness, Microsoft tried to soften the blow with guides for installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. But the optics are terrible. Is Microsoft finally panicking over Windows 10’s lifespan ticking away, or was this a peace offering to disgruntled users?
Gone are options for playful tone customization ("be creative," anyone?), and Bing even removed Copilot-driven results this year. It feels like Microsoft has no clue whether this AI tool is meant to assist casual users or bolster enterprise workflows as a premium Pro tool.
Picture this: Copilot was hyped as groundbreaking but now feels like a junk drawer of leftover ideas from dev teams that clearly didn’t high-five enough.
If you remember the 2016 debut of HoloLens, it was a jaw-dropping experience: holograms on your coffee table, visualized instructions while you tinkered with tools, and sci-fi dreams brought to life. But ambition collided with reality, and Microsoft never got past its niche audience. HoloLens belongs to the magical land of “what could have been.”
Even after tweaks like an opt-in process and removal options, Recall just laughed in the face of consistency. Some files magically saved, and others just… vanished. Recall didn't inspire trust, making users hesitant to adopt the AI feature.
Nobody asked for this level of complexity. The new subscription levels are about as appealing as reading the fine print of cable contracts.
As the company careens into 2025, one question looms: can Microsoft align its ambitious ideas with a coherent, customer-friendly execution plan? Or are we waiting for another year of WTF moments? One thing is clear—if Microsoft learns from 2024 (and listens to its users), we could see a future worth writing home about, AI rewritten emails or not.
Source: PCWorld Microsoft's wins, fails, and WTF moments of 2024
The Wins: When Microsoft Got It Right
Windows on Arm – A Step Towards Tomorrow
At the heart of Microsoft’s year sat the expanding success of Windows on Arm. By nearly every standard, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition, equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, delivered noteworthy progress. Compatibility complaints that plagued Arm platforms appear to be dissolving: apps like Slack, Google Drive, and even VPNs have embraced native Arm support.Why This Matters: Until now, Arm-based Windows machines were cursed with limited software compatibility, eating dust behind x86 counterparts (Intel and AMD-powered systems). But this leap forward suggests a turning point. With companies like NVIDIA rumored to enter the Arm-chip arms race, Windows on Arm could mature into a productivity platform that competes head-to-head with x86 while offering increased energy efficiency.
Sure, printing to older hardware like your ancient Brother printer might still require an x86 laptop. But the days of Arm devices feeling like experimental prototypes are seemingly behind us. With a polished Surface Laptop as the daily driver for many, Microsoft looks poised to make long-term gains in this arena.
Surface Pro (2024): Tablet Triumph
Microsoft nailed it with the 11th-iteration Surface Pro. This lean, mean, Windows tablet machine proved that the "Pro" moniker means business. Sure, there were a couple of hiccups—like a slightly over-flexible Wireless Flex Pro keyboard—but they didn’t overshadow the solid execution.This model succeeded in expanding on the 9th edition (5G version) by handling mainstream apps more fluently. It solidified the message: Windows tablets can still pack a competitive punch in niche spaces.
Generative AI Inside Core Apps – Subtle but Brilliant
Here’s where Microsoft struck gold. Paint is no longer just your nostalgic doodling app; it added AI gems like Generative Fill and Erase, making it an underestimated tool for creating visuals. Clipchamp, the video editor, also saw improvements with AI-driven templates.Key Takeaway: Unlike the broad, misguided strokes of Copilot (don’t worry, we’ll get there), these implementations of AI in Paint, Photos, and Clipchamp showed restraint. They turned everyday creative tasks into seamless, AI-assisted experiences without trying to overreach.
The Fails: Where Dreams Crash & Burn
Windows 11 2024 Update – A Planner’s Nightmare
Between scattered updates for x86 processors and Arm-based systems, Microsoft made following Windows 11’s release schedule feel like deciphering the Event Horizon’s flight logs. And, let's not forget the tedious rollout requirements—hardware restrictions that users despise.In fairness, Microsoft tried to soften the blow with guides for installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. But the optics are terrible. Is Microsoft finally panicking over Windows 10’s lifespan ticking away, or was this a peace offering to disgruntled users?
Copilot’s Crash Landing
The much-hyped Copilot—Microsoft’s grand vision for weaving AI across its ecosystem—turned out to be a consumer flop. Transitioning from Windows-integrated functionality to what’s effectively a bracelet app, Copilot’s sippy-cup AI failed to wow users.Gone are options for playful tone customization ("be creative," anyone?), and Bing even removed Copilot-driven results this year. It feels like Microsoft has no clue whether this AI tool is meant to assist casual users or bolster enterprise workflows as a premium Pro tool.
Picture this: Copilot was hyped as groundbreaking but now feels like a junk drawer of leftover ideas from dev teams that clearly didn’t high-five enough.
HoloLens 2’s Death Knell
Pour one out for HoloLens 2. The augmented reality darling—once heralded as the "future of computing"—officially went extinct, save for some whispers of modified versions for the U.S. Army.If you remember the 2016 debut of HoloLens, it was a jaw-dropping experience: holograms on your coffee table, visualized instructions while you tinkered with tools, and sci-fi dreams brought to life. But ambition collided with reality, and Microsoft never got past its niche audience. HoloLens belongs to the magical land of “what could have been.”
The WTF Moments: When Microsoft Had Us Scratching Our Heads
Microsoft Recall – Privacy Meets Storage Gluttony
Imagine an AI tool that can snapshot everything you’re working on—kind of like an omnipotent Ctrl+Z history for your entire PC. This was Microsoft Recall's ambitious pitch. However, delays, privacy concerns, and massive data requirements (users needed a “truckload of storage”) crushed its potential.Even after tweaks like an opt-in process and removal options, Recall just laughed in the face of consistency. Some files magically saved, and others just… vanished. Recall didn't inspire trust, making users hesitant to adopt the AI feature.
Game Pass Redesign – Death by Subscriptions
Okay, Microsoft. Whatever you were trying to do with Game Pass's new tier system—stop. Just stop. By turning what was a beautifully simple service into a mess of confusing plans (some that give free games and others that don’t), you’ve 365'd your Game Pass audience into oblivion.Nobody asked for this level of complexity. The new subscription levels are about as appealing as reading the fine print of cable contracts.
Lost Opportunities
- Surface Studio 2+: Bye, Beauty
Microsoft's move to permanently shelve the Surface Studio line is a painful reminder of what could’ve been if innovation met execution. The spinning screen of dreams is gone, but its cult following lives on. - MS Flight Simulator 2024 – Data Deluge
Let’s be real—this title is almost more of a service than a game. Streaming photorealistic Earth visuals sounds impressive, but consuming 81GB of internet data per hour makes it unplayable for many users. Not everyone has Google Fiber, Microsoft!
Final Thoughts: Does the Good Outweigh the Bad?
Microsoft’s 2024 essentially screams growing pains. On one hand, its strides in integrative Arm support, the Surface Pro’s excellence, and AI enhancements in native apps showed plenty of promise. On the other, flops like Copilot's dull offering or the botched rollouts of major features marred its reputation.As the company careens into 2025, one question looms: can Microsoft align its ambitious ideas with a coherent, customer-friendly execution plan? Or are we waiting for another year of WTF moments? One thing is clear—if Microsoft learns from 2024 (and listens to its users), we could see a future worth writing home about, AI rewritten emails or not.
Source: PCWorld Microsoft's wins, fails, and WTF moments of 2024
Last edited:
