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Microsoft announced it will deprecate the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) role, including its management tools, PXE boot functionality and related services, starting with the next Windows Server release. The company will stop active development after deprecation and eventually retire and remove WDS, though it remains supported on Windows Server 2025 and earlier per their existing lifecycles.
A Dutch government initiative is reportedly building an alternative to Microsoft's software stack using NixOS, an open-source Linux distribution known for its reproducible system configuration. Details of the project's scope, timeline and funding were not specified in available materials.
Microsoft has released a redesigned Copilot app that merges chat, coding tools, and AI agents into three tabs: Home, Code, and Autopilot. Home combines Copilot Chat and Cowork with a new personalized dashboard called Today, while Code lets users build apps and automations powered by GitHub Copilot's technology. Microsoft also renamed its Scout personal assistant, first shown at Build, to Autopilot, now framed as a cloud-based 'digital teammate' that can keep working autonomously.
Microsoft's new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop meet the technical specs for Copilot Plus PCs but are not being marketed under that name, Surface CVP Brett Ostrom confirmed to Windows Central. Qualcomm's Kedar Kondap indicated similar devices will likely drop the branding going forward too.
Microsoft has appointed Vice Chair and President Brad Smith to head its communications operations, succeeding longtime comms chief Frank Shaw, who is departing after more than 17 years at the company. Brent Colburn will serve as interim communications leader reporting to Smith during the transition, with Shaw staying on to advise both.
Following the fading hype around VR/AR headsets like Meta's Oculus, Microsoft's HoloLens, and Apple's Vision Pro, a quieter trend is developing: Audio Augmented Reality (AAR), enabled by smart headphones, improved voice AI, and contextual data. Early precursors included Microsoft's Soundscape, an accessibility tool using spatial audio cues for the visually impaired, and FourSquare's MarsBot, which offered personalized audio prompts.
Microsoft announced a new Surface Mouse that will go on sale October 13 for $80, marking its first update to the accessory since 2016. The device adds haptic feedback that vibrates subtly during clicks, window snapping, and object alignment, plus a customizable action button designed primarily for Copilot use via the Surface app.
Proofpoint researchers presented findings at Protect 2026 describing a threat actor, tracked as UNK_CondorFiltration, that has been targeting Microsoft 365 environments in Chile since July 21. Using the open-source TeamFiltration toolkit and credential spraying, the attacker did not compromise any human employee accounts but instead broke in through neglected non-human machine and service accounts, gaining access to sensitive data.
Microsoft laid off 268 employees across its gaming division this week and restructured major studios and franchises, including cutting most of Halo Studios' staff while keeping a small team to support existing titles like Halo Infinite. According to sources cited by the reporter, the next mainline Halo game was years from release, prompting Microsoft to shut it down rather than continue development.
Microsoft unveiled a redesigned Surface Mouse at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit, nearly a decade after the original launched in 2016. The new model adds haptic feedback, a customizable Action Button that defaults to launching Copilot, Bluetooth 6.0 multi-device support, and a battery Microsoft says lasts up to six months. It arrives October 13 in Black and Platinum for $79.99, alongside new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices.
Microsoft has resolved a bug that stopped File History from backing up or restoring files to external drives or network locations after the September 2026 security update. The fix ships in the optional cumulative updates KB5124006 and KB5124010 for Windows 11 26H1 and 24H2/25H2 respectively. Affected users had seen crash events referencing FileHistory.exe, false 'Reconnect your drive' prompts, and backups that stopped updating.
Microsoft filed a patent in June describing a generative AI system that would adjust a game's content based on how an individual player explores, interacts with characters, and reacts—potentially even using facial expression tracking. The system could generate new quests, lore, or NPCs around areas a player favors, remove less-engaging content, and decide whether to fold AI-generated material into the main storyline.