Microsoft Build Developer Conference: Key Announcements

What Happened on Microsoft Build Developer Conference? Check Key Announcements Here!

Microsoft Build, an annual developer conference hosted by Microsoft crowded with latest cutting-edge technologies helping developers do more creative works on Windows, mobile, cloud service and more, has been taken place from March 30, 2016 to April 1, 2016 in San Francisco. The ticket sold-out record has made this year, in only one minute. Apart from expected improvements on Windows 10, Cortana and more, Build 2016 brings a few surprises to developers. Curious about what happened at Build 2016? Key announcements you would like to know will be listed one by one.

4 Keys to Explore at Microsoft Build Developer Conference

1. Windows 10 Update: Anniversary Edition
Microsoft is proud of the big number of its Windows 10 customers which has increased to 270 million according to the last count in late March 2016. A summer update edition will arrive for free for all Windows 10 users.

• Windows Ink: The new Ink Workspace featuring a bunch of pen apps aims to bring fresh handwriting experience for users to create sticky not, draw pictures on devices as on papers. In addition to integrate into Maps, Microsoft Edge, Office and more apps, Microsoft also provides 2 lines of code leading developers to build Windows Ink into their own apps.

• Cortana: Cortana will be a greater and more helpful assistant with Windows 10 Anniversary Edition thanks to the new Cortana Collection in Windows Store embracing over 1,000 apps. Not only a good advisor caring about your daily life like arrangement, transportation, it will be available to handle with multiple tasks across PC and Windows/Android phones, for example to receives/send messages on PC.
>> Cortana Can't Speak/Listen Errors, Cortana vs Siri

• Xbox: Windows 10 Anniversary update not only gives better gaming experiences to users on Xbox one with the gaming assistant Cortana, it embeds Xbox Dev Mode making Xbox One evolve to be a developer kit which enables any developer to build games and apps for Xbox One and other Windows 10 devices.

2. Bots
Bots, the intelligent agents, has been introduced to Skype at Build 2016 showing users a new-style conversation, productivity and interaction with others through sms or even video/audio chats. Microsoft offers Bot Framework encouraging developers to create and deploy bots to more Windows apps, especially to communication apps, like Line, Outlook and more.

3. HoloLens
Firstly introduced in January 2015, HoloLens is a holographic computer featuring advance optical system working with various sensors. All specialized components of HoloLens offer a natural way for users to interact with holograms through gestures, gaze and voice. At the first day of Build 2016 (March 30), development edition of HoloLens was announced shipping. Developers can use the Universal Windows Platform to build holographic apps with this device or without.

4. Xamarin
Microsoft announced to acquire Xamarin, a mobile app development platform provider, granting bigger opportunity to creative developers to show their innovation on any device. With Xamarin, developers are empowered to build mobile apps taking advantage of .NET and using C# to write native APIs and share the codes across iOS, Android and Windows. Long-time partnership between Microsoft and Xamarin has made a great joint to integrate this mobile app development platform into Visual Studio. The newly Xamarin Studio Community Edition is open to developers to publish apps for iOS, Android within Visual Studio with zero cost.