Windows 10 Release Date News: Insider Preview Build 10122 Delivers Key Improvements & Fixes

Ahead of its scheduled 2015 summer release date, Microsoft has issued Build 10122 of Windows 10 Insider Preview, mostly unpacking key improvements from the last beta version as well as fixes. The update, which came Wednesday, focused on stability and bits of fine tuning, the software giant said.

In a blog post, Windows Insider chief Gabriel Aul revealed that four enhancements are unpacked with Build 10122, along with a few notable bug fixes. “This build is a bit more stable and polished than the last one, which is to be expected as we begin to stabilize for the public release this summer,” Aul wrote.

Start And Continuum Refinements

The Start menu has undergone another round of cosmetic adjustments that saw the transfer of File Explorer and Settings buttons, which now sit on top of the Power and All Apps keys (when the Start is clicked). The purpose of the visual layout edit is to achieve better interface symmetry and minimize confusion, Aul said.

Continuum has also been improved. “When you switch to Tablet mode, the left-hand pane is now collapsed and can be brought back out by clicking the icon at the top left. Start also now has larger tiles to better use the available space -- similar to what was seen in Windows 8.1,” the official Window blog said.

Microsoft Edge Browser

The brand-new Microsoft browser to be unleashed with Windows 10 is padded with fresh features in the latest build, headlined by the New Tab page that was introduced at the BUILD Conference hosted by Microsoft last April. Among the features packed with this page are a redesigned layout and highlighted apps or content feeds from MSN, Aul said.

Also with the latest Edge version, which will bump off Internet Explorer as Microsoft’s featured browser, are the options to pin favorite sites on the Start menu, easy access of surfing history and InPrivate browsing that functions similarly to Google Chrome’s Incognito tab.

Default Apps Management

Starting with Build 10122, Microsoft is ceding full control of Windows app mapping and protocol setting to end users. In Windows 10, “you remain in full control of your default experiences, while reducing some of the unwanted noise that multiple prompts can bring,” Aul reported.

He added that before actually stepping up to Windows 10, users will be prompted to set up their Windows Universal apps in line with this new app environment handling. This option is specifically available for users jumping from Windows 7 and 8.1, the Windows Insider boss noted.

Insider Hub Overhauled

Last, the Insider Hub has been subjected to a makeover in Build 10122 that makes for a leaner and more function-focused homepage as well as easier navigation, the blog post said. Numerous glitches have also been addressed in this latest build, but PC users with AMD graphic engines on their machines may want to sit out the version to avoid crashing headaches. A fix on this particular issue is on the way soon, Aul advised.

Looking forward, Microsoft hinted that Build 10122 is pretty much the final cut of Windows 10 on release date. That would mean build rollouts that center on “tuning, tweaking, stabilizing and polishing” before the grand summer event.